Wayne County plans to buy casino land to build new jail

[prokopowicz]

The jail in downtown Chicago is a Federal jail. It is technically just on the outside of the loop, but definitely downtown. There is a Federal courthouse nearby.

[Bham1982]

the area surrounding the prison tho isnt crap

It certainly isn't dangerous or anything, but I have friends who live on VanBuren Street, basically across the street from the prison, and they can't wait to get out.

The retail in this portion of the Loop basically serves the prison and courts, and all the visitors to these facilities. There's little traditional retail, and the area is a dead zone once visitors' hours are over.

[maxx]

As long as they include an electric chair or gas chamber for some of the scum I'm all for it.

Gee why not advocate to bring back the guillotine? It's much more humane than the chair or gas as long as you keep the blade sharp.

[Crew]

This is the old location of Detroit Receiving/Detroit General Hospital. Interesting commentary that the land use changes from a city owned hospital, to a potential casino, to a county prison.

[Gistok]

The whole reason the county is building a jail is so that it is right across the street from the courthouse. Thus providing "substantial savings" in terms of transporting criminals to and from the jail and courthouse. I think it is a relative crock, but that's another story entirely. As far as the land goes, like I said, they are trying to get everything in close proximity. The plot they are getting, is the largest available downtown, and it's right across the street. Given it's going to be a jail, it obviously won't be a pedestrian friendly building, even though the amount of jobs it will bring to that side of downtown, it may warrant at least enough space for fast food.

Umm... what about all that land where Hudson's used to be? Or the Monroe Block? Or West Foxtown? Or the site of the former Lafayette, Statler, Tuller and Madison-Lenox site?

I don't think downtown is especially hurting for available land....

And as to your pedestrian friendly issue... being boxed in on the east by a freeway, on the south by a huge juvenile justice complex, non the north by the sea of pavement of both Gratiot and Madison Ave... and on the west by jails and courthouses... how did you come to the conclusion that this site could ever be "Pedestrian Friendly"??

[esp1986]

Umm... what about all that land where Hudson's used to be? Or the Monroe Block? Or West Foxtown? Or the site of the former Lafayette, Statler, Tuller and Madison-Lenox site?

I don't think downtown is especially hurting for available land....

And as to your pedestrian friendly issue... being boxed in on the east by a freeway, on the south by a huge juvenile justice complex, non the north by the sea of pavement of both Gratiot and Madison Ave... and on the west by jails and courthouses... how did you come to the conclusion that this site could ever be "Pedestrian Friendly"??

I'm not saying there's not A LOT of available land, but I believe that is the single largest plot. It's proximity to the courthouse is the bigger draw here.

As far as being pedestrian friendly, when there are football and baseball games, there are a lot of pedestrians. Given the proximity to CoPa and that monstrosity of football stadium across the street, the area gets a lot of foot traffic on game days, someday there could be interest in commercial space. Even with the bunch of municipal buildings right there, a couple of fast food restaurants could just about survive there with a jail on the horizon. People aren't gonna walk across downtown to get lunch!!

[Gistok]

Esp1986... I don't disagree that it is the largest piece of land... it's just that it's surrounded by non-pedestrian friendly areas. And ironically the Football folks have the worst travel of all... the Gratiot/Madison pavement. With 2 streets abutting each other... that does have to be the most pedestrian unfriendly spot anywhere [[besides maybe the Gratiot/Broadway/Randolph/Monroe "demolition derby" intersection).

Maybe a good tradeoff is to put the county "justice center" on that "armpit corner" site, and demolish the old jails and incorporate that land [[along with a refurbished residential 1300 E. Beaubien) into developable land?

[esp1986]

Esp1986... I don't disagree that it is the largest piece of land... it's just that it's surrounded by non-pedestrian friendly areas. And ironically the Football folks have the worst travel of all... the Gratiot/Madison pavement. With 2 streets abutting each other... that does have to be the most pedestrian unfriendly spot anywhere [[besides maybe the Gratiot/Broadway/Randolph/Monroe "demolition derby" intersection).

Maybe a good tradeoff is to put the county "justice center" on that "armpit corner" site, and demolish the old jails and incorporate that land [[along with a refurbished residential 1300 E. Beaubien) into developable land?

Who knows what the "right answer" is... all we know is we probably won't see what makes the most sense with developmental foresight.

[wolverine]

The Cook County Jail is located at 2700 S. California. So now your telling me that 2700 S. California is located smack dab in the middle of the Loop? The jail is moreless in the Lawndale neighborhood which is on the far west side. How are you going to tell me that this is smack dad in the middle of the Loop?

The one downtown being talked about is the Metropolitan Corrections Facility. It's a federal prison. It's technically in the loop, or at least the edge of it, located close by the Chicago Federal Center Complex. The prison is one of those most recognizable operating prisons due to its shape, location, and rooftop prison yard. It can be seen from the Sears/Willis Tower. Most people just call it the downtown jail.

The area around isn't the most attractive, but it isn't bad either. There's just alot of fast food chains, convenience stores, bail bonds, and related services.

[stasu1213]

I had suggested on a thread that the spot would be good for the new police headquaters. It could had been a HQ and jail complex and still have room for the fire department. The city and county could had partnered and purchased the land to build on much more cheaper than buying the former IRS/MGM casino site. I hope that an emergency financial manager comes in and undo the crazy contracts that tye mayor and the council agreed upon. The manager would probably feel that it would be a good idea to build a Police/Fire Headquaters and County Jail on that site

[BagAJellyDonuts]

Gee why not advocate to bring back the guillotine? It's much more humane than the chair or gas as long as you keep the blade sharp.

You've got a good point there.

These days there will likely be cable TV, unlimited legal services and catered meals for the scumbags that get locked up.[[for a short time) A guillotine would cost much less to operate than those energy intensive alternatives.

I do hope wherever they place this hotel for hostiles it is either close to rail service or bus lines.

[jackie5275]

I had suggested on a thread that the spot would be good for the new police headquaters. It could had been a HQ and jail complex and still have room for the fire department. The city and county could had partnered and purchased the land to build on much more cheaper than buying the former IRS/MGM casino site. I hope that an emergency financial manager comes in and undo the crazy contracts that tye mayor and the council agreed upon. The manager would probably feel that it would be a good idea to build a Police/Fire Headquaters and County Jail on that site

Now it's even farther from the courthouse. The County wants it to be right near Frank Murphy. All the inmates in one facility across the street from the courthouse. This way, they can be walked across the street for court, actually, more so assuming a tunnel under the street. None are getting driven in from the Hamtramck jail.

[maxx]

https://bnf.actionkit.com/donate/myc...nRK-G&rd=1&t=7
"...Cuéntame is taking on private prison corporations and their effort to bring, persecute and lock-up migrants for a profit. We are producing a full-length documentary series that will expose this abuse and their attempt to hijack the immigration debate by throwing money at legislators to pass anti-immigration laws like Arizona's SB1070. As part of our protest, we will march this May day across the country in support of a real comprehensive immigration reform and a rejection of the private prisons' deceptive practices..."

[Vox]

I still don't understand the need for a new jail, when the state is closing one on Mound that is just fine.

[Detroitnerd]

As long as they include an electric chair or gas chamber for some of the scum I'm all for it.

Sorry, Charlie. Michigan was the first English-speaking unit of government to outlaw the death penalty. I don't see that changing any time soon. If you really like state-sponsored executions, I suggest you move to China. I'm sure you'd love it there.

[jackie5275]

I still don't understand the need for a new jail, when the state is closing one on Mound that is just fine.

Again, it's too far from the courthouse. You have to pay to transport the inmates downtown to Frank Murphy for their court dates.

[Rocko]

House panel urges closure of Detroit's Mound prison

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110414/METRO/104140444/House-panel-urges-closure-of-Detroit’s-Mound-prison#ixzz1Jcj8qx9D

I understand the county's idea for having a criminal justice campus in this corner of downtown. But really, if this state prison is going to be closed, why not just rehab it for county and/or county + city needs? Seems like its a fairly new facility, at least in comparison to the current downtown jails. The Mount facility was built in the 80s if I recall correctly, one the side of the old Detroit Terminal Railway Davison Yard. It seems like this would be the most effective use of limited funds for corrections and keep some downtown land open for development of retail and housing....I dunno.....food for thought.

[fryar]

This does not sound like a brilliant idea. It may save money and lower expenditures for the DoC, but I think can reasonably be expected to retard growth in the area, overall. That, of course, is basically unmeasurable.

This may also be a giveaway to Greektown Casino.

[royce]

I had suggested on a thread that the spot would be good for the new police headquaters. It could had been a HQ and jail complex and still have room for the fire department. The city and county could had partnered and purchased the land to build on much more cheaper than buying the former IRS/MGM casino site. I hope that an emergency financial manager comes in and undo the crazy contracts that tye mayor and the council agreed upon. The manager would probably feel that it would be a good idea to build a Police/Fire Headquaters and County Jail on that site

I totally agree. That site along with the site immediately to the south could accommodate a city-county-police-fire-jail complex. Putting the DPD HQ on the outskirts of the CBD is short-sighted. Having the HQ in the Greektown area gives me a sense of security. Always knowing the cops are nearby is a comforting thought. It does no good to have the DPD HQ in an isolated part of downtown. Well, that's my two cents on this part of the issue.

[royce]

My other two cents speaks to the swap of the 1.2 acres at 1231 St. Antoine for VALET PARKING for the casino. More f'ing parking for the casino. They don't have enough? This part of the deal pisses me off because I have often envisioned that area being developed to look like Monroe Street with restaurants and shops selling different ethnic offerings like Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Italian, Ethiopian, etc.... It would be known as "United Nations" town [[UNtown for short). With a vacated police HQ developed into residential units or new residential units in its place, the UNtown and Greektown area would be a great place to live. Well, that's my other two cents on this issue.

[BagAJellyDonuts]

Not moving to China.

Yeah I know all the BS about "give a chance" but there is something truly wrong with a "system" that goes so far in the wrong way to make excuses for outright scum to be walking the streets.

Going even further off course, the biggest problem in Detroit isn't jobs, schools or money from the skies. It's that there is a perception [[and too many times perception is reality) that some crime is okay. And when some is okay, where's the line? You fix the crime in Detroit, everything else will fall in place. If that means erasing a lot of scum and miswired people, so be it, Let's start it going. The current soft approach doesn't seem to be working. Or is it?

Build a new jail.

No cable TV. No TV at all. Lousy food, bring in truck loads of rocks to get busted up. Make it so that you want out, you prove you can read and write. Make it the most miserable place on the face of the earth. As it should be. And don't worry about the ones that "shouldn't be there". People that don't go near the edge of a cliff don't fall off. And if a few get zapped, no major loss.

BTW, put Kwame and his family in there first. Along with Monica.

[stasu1213]

Now it's even farther from the courthouse. The County wants it to be right near Frank Murphy. All the inmates in one facility across the street from the courthouse. This way, they can be walked across the street for court, actually, more so assuming a tunnel under the street. None are getting driven in from the Hamtramck jail.

Wasn't the county jail located downtown next or near Frank Murphy? A friend of mine had told me that prisoners were transported from the jail to the courthouse via underground tunner. What idiot decided to move the county jail to Mound Rd? Was that corner lot given or sold to Greektown Casino during the Kilpatrick administration? Money had clouded our elected official better judgement for picking strategic locations for entities that could serve the city more.Bing had purchased the former MGM site for millions of dollars for some deal he has with them. Someone who is not controlled by the corporations would had pick the site on Gratiot to build the Police/Fire HQ and jail complex.

[downtownguy]

My other two cents speaks to the swap of the 1.2 acres at 1231 St. Antoine for VALET PARKING for the casino. More f'ing parking for the casino. They don't have enough?

I agree. Greektown already has two HUGE garages within a block. How is this viable for valet parking anyway? With the one way streets in the area, a valet would have to go several blocks to park and retrieve vehicles on that lot. The only way this makes sense for valet parking is if the casino wants to start offering valet parking at the Monroe entrance. This would create a massive bottleneck on an already busy street.

[stasu1213]

It amazes me that money is being used to construct a new jail but money can't be found to construct new libraries. Is this the dumming down of Detroit preparing the undereducated crme-prone children to reside into a million dollar industry called the prison system?

[Hypestyles]

when the new jail is built, will local detroiters be put to work, who are not prisoners?