 The North Tower of the complex as it appeared in 2013 | |
 | |
| Location | New York City |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Security class | Municipal Jail |
| Opened | 1838 (original building) |
| Former name | Halls of Justice, Manhattan House of Detention |
| Managed by | New York City Department of Corrections |
| Director | Commissioner Joseph Ponte |
The Tombs was the colloquial name for Manhattan Detention Complex[1] (formerly the Bernard B. Kerik Complex during 2001–2006[2]), a former municipal jail at 125 White Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It was also the nickname for three previous city-run jails in the former Five Points neighborhood of lower Manhattan, in an area now known as the Civic Center.
The original Tombs was officially known as the Halls of Justice, built in 1838 in an Egyptian Revival architectural style, similar in form to a mastaba.[1] It may have been this style that caused it to be called "the Tombs", although other theories exist. It was built as a replacement for the Colonial-era Bridewell Prison located in City Hall Park, built in 1735. The new structure incorporated material from the demolished Bridewell to save money.[3]
The four buildings known as The Tombs were:
- 1838–1902, New York City Halls of Justice and House of Detention
- 1902–1941, City Prison
- 1941–2023, Manhattan House of Detention (became Manhattan Detention Complex South Tower in 1983)
- 1990–2023, Manhattan Detention Complex North Tower
The two existing buildings began demolition in 2023, in preparation for a planned replacement jail building.
- ^ a b Chan, Sewell (July 3, 2006). "Disgraced and Penalized, Kerik Finds His Name Stripped Off Jail". New York Times. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Kerikwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Carrott, Richard G. (1978). The Egyptian revival: its sources, monuments, and meaning, 1808–1858. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-0520033245. LCCN 76024579. OCLC 633069010.