The Tombs
Detention complex in Manhattan, New York / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Tombs was the colloquial name for Manhattan Detention Complex[1] (formerly the Bernard B. Kerik Complex during 2001–2006[2]), a former municipal jail at 125 White Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It was also the nickname for three previous city-run jails in the former Five Points neighborhood of lower Manhattan, in an area now known as the Civic Center.
Location | New York City |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Security class | Municipal Jail |
Opened | 1838 (original building) |
Former name | Halls of Justice, Manhattan House of Detention |
Managed by | New York City Department of Corrections |
Director | Commissioner Joseph Ponte |
The original Tombs was officially known as the Halls of Justice, built in 1838 in an Egyptian Revival architectural style, similar in form to a mastaba.[1] It may have been this style that caused it to be called "the Tombs", although other theories exist. It was built as a replacement for the Colonial-era Bridewell Prison located in City Hall Park, built in 1735. The new structure incorporated material from the demolished Bridewell to save money.[3]
The four buildings known as The Tombs were:
- 1838–1902, New York City Halls of Justice and House of Detention
- 1902–1941, City Prison
- 1941–2023, Manhattan House of Detention (became Manhattan Detention Complex South Tower in 1983)
- 1990–2023, Manhattan Detention Complex North Tower
The two existing buildings began demolition in 2023, in preparation for a planned replacement jail building.