Brooklyn residents say overnight jail construction is disrupting their lives
Brooklyn jail construction sounds bother neighbors
Residents in Boerum Hill say overnight construction on a new jail in Brooklyn is disrupting their lives, with noise going past 5 a.m. and lights flooding their homes. FOX 5's Meredith Gorman has the story.
BROOKLYN - Construction on a new jail in Boerum Hill is testing the patience of people living nearby in Brooklyn. Residents say late-night work is ruining their quality of life — and they still have years to go before it’s done.
What we know:
Construction on the new borough-based Brooklyn jail is underway in Boerum Hill — and neighbors say it’s happening at all hours. Despite posted work hours ending at 6 p.m., residents say crews are often jackhammering until 5 a.m., with floodlights beaming into their apartments and the constant noise of trucks, sirens, and heavy machinery making sleep nearly impossible.
"The mayor is being very inactive on this issue, which is disturbing the entire area," said one local resident.
What's next:
City officials say the jail construction won’t be completed until 2029. That means years more of work ahead for neighbors.
Residents have reached out to their local representative, Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who says he’s repeatedly pushed the Adams administration to stop the overnight activity.
New York City is still behind schedule in its plan to close Rikers Island by 2027. That deadline has led to pressure to fast-track borough-based jail construction like the one in Boerum Hill — but Restler says it shouldn’t come at the expense of residents’ well-being.
"We're going to keep putting pressure on Mayor Adams and his team to do their jobs, to be decent neighbors, to care about our community," said Restler. "And we're going to keep getting louder and louder until they listen."
The other side:
In a statement to Fox 5, Mayor Adams’ office pushed back against the criticism. They say they’re working with locals on noise concerns while continuing progress on a critical public safety project.
"While Councilmember Restler publicly claims to support the rapid construction of borough-based jails, he is, in private, hypocritically trying to stall critical progress on this project in his district," said Kayla Mamelak Altus, press secretary for the mayor. "The Adams administration is working directly with residents in the area to address concerns about overnight noise, while still moving full steam ahead with the construction to keep our communities safe."