Lock ’em up: City plan would put middle school in Brooklyn House of Detention

The city wants to open a new middle school — in jail.

Developers responded so weakly to a city invitation for ideas for retail and residential use at the soon-to-reopen Brooklyn House of Detention that the city is now considering putting a middle school in the space.

For months, the city has said it plans to reopen — and double the capacity of — the 11-story, 750-inmate Big House on Atlantic Avenue between Smith Street and Boerum Place.

But last year, when the city solicited bids for ground-floor shops in the infamous holding pen, retailers showed only lukewarm interest.

Besides the weak response from retailers, only one developer submitted a bid to build a residential tower adjacent to the soon-to-reopen jail.

As a result, Corrections Commissioner Martin Horn told a group of local pols and community activists at a Jan. 2 meeting that he is considering housing a new middle school in the jail.

Councilman David Yassky (D–Brooklyn Heights) strongly supported the idea, according to people who attended the meeting at Borough Hall.

Yassky’s support for a jailhouse middle school follows his opposition to a plan by DUMBO developer David Walentas to include a middle school in his proposed Dock Street apartment tower because part of that building might block some views of the Brooklyn Bridge.

“David’s position has always been that we need a new middle school in the general Downtown area,” said Sam Rockwell, Yassky’s spokesman, adding that the councilman would certainly consider the school-in-a-jail concept.

“It’s bizarre,” said one participant in the meeting. “Retailers don’t want to be in the building, yet Yassky would put our kids there?”

Tale of the tape