JV with O&G Industries to Build One of Four Facilities Replacing Riker’s Island

Tutor Perini Corp., a Los Angeles-based megaproject contractor, has officially disclosed the price and timeline for its $3.8 billion Manhattan jail project, which is part of New York City’s plan to replace Riker’s Island.

Announced on Feb. 19, the contract is being finalized with New York City’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC). The 2,646-calendar-day contract translates to a seven-year, three-month completion timeline. The jail will be built at 124-125 White Street in Lower Manhattan’s Chinatown, the former site of the Manhattan Detention Complex, also known as “The Tombs,” which was demolished in 2023.

“The facility will provide modern, humane conditions with dedicated space for services, indoor and outdoor recreation, food services, and secure entry,” according to Tutor Perini.

Key Features of the New Manhattan Jail

The 1,040-bed facility will include:

• On-site services & programming areas
• Indoor & outdoor recreational spaces
• Food service areas
• Staff offices and amenities
• Secured entry for enhanced safety
• 125 underground parking spaces for staff and service providers
• 20,000 square feet of ground-floor community and commercial space

This project is part of a $8.2 billion NYC initiative to construct four borough-based jails aimed at replacing Riker’s Island, which is slated for closure in 2027. However, The New York Times reports that meeting that deadline remains unlikely.

‍Tutor Perini’s Role & Project Partners

Tutor Perini first announced in November that its joint venture with O&G Industries, a Connecticut-based contractor, had won the project. At that time, no cost estimate was disclosed.

• Tutor Perini will serve as the managing partner
• O&G Industries will hold a 25% stake in the JV
• HOK, a renowned architecture firm, is leading the design

This marks Tutor Perini’s second major NYC jail contract. In 2023, the firm secured a $2.95 billion contract to build a new Brooklyn jail, also replacing a Riker’s Island facility.

Challenges and Timeline Concerns

New York City’s borough-based jail plan was approved in 2019, but has faced delays, cost escalations, and community opposition. The seven-year timeline for the Manhattan jail suggests that the 2027 closure of Riker’s Island may not be feasible.

Despite these challenges, the project is expected to modernize detention facilities in line with criminal justice reforms, providing better conditions for incarcerated individuals and staff alike.

What’s Next?

As contract documents are finalized, construction is expected to ramp up in 2025. New York City officials will continue to face pressure to meet their Riker’s Island closure goal, while balancing project costs, timeline expectations, and public concerns.

Originally reported by Joe Bousquin in Construction Dive.