You are reading

City to Present Plans of Parking Garage and Community Space for Future Kew Gardens Jail Site

A rendering of the parking garage and community space (NYC DDC)

March 23, 2021 By Allie Griffin

The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) will present updated plans for the future Kew Gardens jail parking garage and community space — part of the borough-based jails plan — at a local community board meeting Thursday evening.

The department will present the renderings and collect feedback from members of the Queens Community Board 9 Land Use Committee at a virtual meeting Thursday at 7:15 p.m.

The city plans to begin the construction process of the parking garage — which will sit across from Queens Borough Hall — later this month, according to a copy of the presentation obtained by the Queens Post.

DDC will begin assessments and surveys of the site this month and excavation of the site this summer. The parking garage and community space are expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2023, according to the timeline.

Timeline of Kew Gardens borough-based jail and corresponding facilities (DDC)

The plan for the facilities coincides with the city’s plan to build a 19-story jail next to the parking garage–at the site of the decommissioned Queens Detention facility at 182-02 82nd Ave. The city plans to begin the design and construction process of the jail in 2023.

The city plans to build three other borough-based jails–with one in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx–in order to replace the jail complex on Rikers Island, which is set to shutter by 2026.

The City Council voted to approve the borough-based jails plan in 2019, despite all four community boards where the jails will be sited rejecting it.

Queens Community Board 9 unanimously voted against the jail plan, arguing that large jails shouldn’t go up in residential areas.

Last year, two Queens groups filed a joint suit against the city to challenge its plans to build the jail in Kew Gardens.

Local opposition to the plan has not ceased since then.

Leaders of the Kew Gardens Civic Association (KGCA) sent an email to members condemning the plans for the parking garage and community space, according to a Queens blog.

“These plans had NO community input and they are very different and far removed from those concepts described or implied during previous discussions over the last two years,” the president and executive chairman of the KGCA wrote in the email.

“In this they are like the plans for the jail project itself — developed in secret by a small group in the Mayor’s office with no input from any affected community or the Community Board and let loose upon us as a done deal.”

The KGCA didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

The details of the Community Board 9 committee meeting are below.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

May races in Queens: JFK Airport 5K, Forest Park trail classic and a Queensborough 5K

May. 16, 2025 By Paulina Albarracin

The energy of May is on full display across Queens, with a lineup of local races that invite runners of all levels to hit the pavement and the trails. With mild temperatures and sunny skies setting the stage, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of the spring weather before the summer heat sets in. From the Forest Park 4 Mile Road and Trail Classic to the festive Great Hawaiian Luau 5K at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, these events offer more than just a workout—they foster community spirit and personal growth. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen before lacing up and heading out. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or new to the sport, these May races offer a chance to challenge yourself and connect with others in motion.

Mayor Adams marks one year of ‘Padlock to Protect’ with pizza and progress in Queens

Mayor Eric Adams marked the one-year anniversary of the launch of the city’s “Operation Padlock to Protect” initiative at a pizzeria on the Rego Park and Middle Village border on Wednesday and touted the significant progress in shutting down more than 1,400 illegal smoke shops across the five boroughs and seizing more than $95 million in illegal product since last May.

“The city was fed up. We heard it at every town hall. This time last year, there were thousands of illegal smoke shops plaguing our city with unlicensed cannabis endangering our children,” Adams said. “One year later, we are proud to announce that we have turned the tide. Thanks to the tireless efforts by our city’s law enforcement officers, we’ve padlocked thousands of illegal shops and created safer streets for children and families. But we’re not stopping there.”