Construction of New York City's first borough-based jail underway in Queens

2021-07-16T17:17:00-04:00

Construction on NYC's first borough-based jail is officially underway, Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced. Work on the Kew Gardens, Queens facility marks the first major move to build four smaller and "more humane" jails in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. The $8.3 billion effort comes via the Borough-Based Jails Program, a controversial plan passed by the City Council in October 2019, aimed at closing the 10 jails now in operation on Rikers Island.

The new, approximately 105-foot-tall structure will include a 25,000-square-foot, two-level, multi-purpose community space, along with a 600-car public parking garage. The 866-bed facility will replace the current Queens Detention Complex, which is located adjacent to Queens Borough Hall and the Queens Criminal Courthouse.

The parking garage and community space will feature a partially planted green roof, solar panels, and on-site stormwater retention. This portion of the project is expected to qualify for LEED Gold certification for environmental sustainability.

The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is managing the overall Borough-Based Jails program citywide. The Queens jail is being created by a design-build team consisting of Hunter Roberts Construction Group and architecture firms Marvel and Urbahn Architects. Work on the project is expected to complete in early 2023.

Procurement and early site preparation activities are ongoing for the other three Borough-Based...

The Hive pavilion moves to Kew Gardens

2016-07-07T12:38:00-04:00

Kew Gardens has been home to many notable sculptures and architectural pieces such as Henry Moore’s “Reclining Mother and Child” and Marks Barfield Architect’s “Tree Top Walkway”. So it was no surprise when it was chosen to showcase “The Hive”.

The Hive is the award-wining pavilion designed by artist Wolfgang Buttress and built by architectural practice BDP and engineers Simmonds Studio. It was first created for the 2015 Milan Expo where it attracted over 3.3 million visitors and became one of the main attractions. It is the first structure to be brought back to Britain after an Expo.

The Hive brings together art, science, sound and landscape representing the important relationship between bee and human.

Prompted by the theme "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" the Hive seeks to showcase the relationship between humans and bees. It’s outer structure is made from aluminum rods arranged hexagonally in a honeycomb fashion. The porous construction mimics the whirlwind motion made by a sw...

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Construction of New York City's first borough-based jail underway in Queens

The Hive pavilion moves to Kew Gardens