The community group Neighbors United Below Canal is planning a rally Sunday, Feb. 6,Saturday to stop the demolition of the two buildings that make up the Manhattan Detention Complex — the city’s first step in making way for a larger jail in their place. Demolition is scheduled to begin next month.

The rally was rescheduled due to weather and will be held Sunday, Feb. 6, 2p at 124/125 White Street at Centre.

Community Board 1 also passed a resolution last night urging Mayor Adams to stop the demolition. The board has registered its opposition to the reconstruction of a building on the site, and they reiterated that again, noting:

• the borough-based jail plan does not address the root problems that afflict Rikers Island;
• the $11 billion the city plans to spend on the borough-based jails would be better spent on mental health services, job training, after school programs and affordable housing;
• the north tower — The Tombs — has been identified as eligible for landmark designation by the NYC Landmark Preservation Commission;
• there has been no answer to requests for review of schematic plans of the new jailor review of alternatives showing potential adaptive re-use of the existing buildings.

Let’s hope the new mayor sees through this flawed plan, or at least sees the logic in pausing the demolition of the site until the city gets a better grip on real criminal justice reform, rather than spending billions just to tear down old jails and build new ones.