{"id":37183,"date":"2025-06-11T15:53:47","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T15:53:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/?p=37183"},"modified":"2025-06-11T15:53:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T15:53:47","slug":"mayor-adams-nycedc-doc-announce-plan-to-remove-decommissioned-jail-barge-from-hunts-point-unveil-ambitious-vision-for-innovative-marine-terminal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/archives\/37183","title":{"rendered":"Mayor Adams, NYCEDC, DOC announce plan to remove decommissioned jail barge from hunts point, unveil ambitious vision for innovative marine terminal"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEWYORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and New York City Department of Correction (DOC) Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie announced that the city will remove the decommissioned Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center (VCBC) barge from Hunts Point and pursue an innovative Hunts Point Marine Terminal on the site to move freight off of ships and onto the last mile in their delivery.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After originally decommissioning the VCBC facility in 2023, the Adams administration announced today that NYCEDC will issue a request for proposals (RFP) to remove the former jail barge, freeing up valuable space on the Hunts Point waterfront.<\/p>\n

In its place, the Adams administration envisions a new Hunts Point Marine Terminal to move cargo from shipping containers onto additional barges and ferries for last-mile deliveries throughout New York City.<\/p>\n

The new marine terminal \u2014 which is estimated to create 400 construction jobs, 100 permanent jobs, and $3.9 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years \u2014 would form a key connection point between ports up and down the East Coast, including the Brooklyn Marine Terminal and other nodes in New York City. By building this new \u2018Blue Highways\u2019 facility, the terminal would remove an estimated 9,000 monthly truck trips from city streets and reduce roadway congestion. Additionally, the Adams administration will invest more than $ 28 million as part of its fiscal year 2026 executive budget-also known as the best budget ever\u201d, to extend the existing bike network currently running alongside Food Center Drive to go along Halleck Street and expand access to the waterfront.<\/p>\n

The announcement continues Mayor Adams\u2019 vision to turn New York City\u2019s waterfront into a harbor of the future; establish New York City as the global destination for green technology, innovation, and opportunity; and create approximately 53,000 temporary and permanent jobs and $95 billion in economic impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor hundreds of years, New York City\u2019s waterways have powered our economy and made our city a global destination for commerce, capital, and cargo. With the investments our administration is making every day, we are writing the next chapter in that history and turning our waterfront into a \u2018Harbor of the Future.\u2019 From a first-in-the-nation climate research facility on Governors Island to a state-of-the-art life sciences hub at Kips Bay to much more, our \u2018Harbor of the Future\u2019 will create tens of thousands of jobs, generate billions in economic impact, and keep our city at the front of emerging industries,\u201d said\u00a0Mayor Adams.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we are adding yet another stop to that harbor by clearing away the old jail barge in the Bronx and building a new Hunts Point Marine Terminal in its place. We\u2019ll unload cargo from all across the world for delivery throughout New York City, put even more New Yorkers to work in vibrant industries, and continue to show that cities can do bold, ambitious things. But we\u2019re not stopping there. Later this month, our city has a chance to do yet another big thing when leaders vote on the future of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal. We have a once-in-a-generation chance to turn this crumbling facility into a modern maritime port with thousands of new homes, hundreds of thousands of square feet of industrial space, and dozens of acres of green space. In short, we have a chance to say \u2018yes\u2019 to a bolder, brighter future for our city.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI served the Bronx as borough president and New York City councilmember for nearly 12 years, and I am thrilled by today\u2019s announcement to remove the Vernon Bain Correctional Facility,\u201d said\u00a0Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carri\u00f3n Jr.\u00a0\u201cBut I am even more excited by what\u2019s ahead: meaningful investments in the people of Hunts Point and the transformation of this site into a \u2018Blue Highway\u2019 superstation to move more goods by water and reduce truck traffic, congestion and air pollution in the South Bronx.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vision to transform the decommissioned Vernon C. Bain Center into the Hunts Point Marine Terminal will usher in a new era for this site that will result in not only a new \u2018Blue Highways\u2019 facility, but bring waterfront access, greenway improvements, and much-needed good-paying jobs for the Hunts Point community,\u201d said\u00a0NYCEDC President and CEO Kimball.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Hunts Point Marine Terminal will advance a robust and sustainable food distribution supply chain and deliver on critical commitments, including in our \u2018Hunts Point Forward\u2019 plan and as part of our Harbor of the Future. We are grateful to Mayor Adams for his vision and leadership, and look forward to working together with our agency partners, elected officials, and the community to make this vision a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs DOC modernizes and develops, we bid farewell to the retired Vernon C. Bain Center,\u201d said\u00a0DOC Commissioner Maginley-Liddie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe look forward to a new vision for the community and are proud to do our part to facilitate this transfer. We also thank the many people who bravely served at the facility over the past three decades and who dedicated themselves to keeping our city and the people in our care safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Adams administration originally announced its intention to decommission the VCBC jail barge and begin a community engagement process for the site as part of its \u201cHunts Point Forward\u201d plan in 2022, a comprehensive plan to create economic opportunity and improve quality of life for New Yorkers in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the South Bronx. The plan is backed by a $40 million commitment from Mayor Adams and outlines a 15-year vision shared by the city and the community with more than 70 short- and long-term recommendations for creating family-sustaining jobs, improving public safety, enhancing community health and access to healthy food, promoting environmental justice, and delivering upgrades to open space, transportation, and other key community infrastructure.<\/p>\n

The Hunts Point Marine Terminal will continue into a design and planning stage with continued community consultation. Additionally, NYCEDC will lead a comprehensive land remediation effort to address the site\u2019s historical pollution, an essential step toward unlocking its future potential, which is anticipated to be completed in 2027.<\/p>\n

The Hunts Point Marine Terminal will also serve as a key node in Mayor Adams\u2019 Blue Highways initiative, a joint project between the New York City Department of Transportation and NYCEDC to promote the use of the city\u2019s waterways for transporting goods in and around the city.<\/p>\n

The initiative aims to increase the utilization of New York City\u2019s waterways to transport and deliver cargo \u2014 reducing emissions, decreasing wear and tear on roadways, alleviating supply chain bottlenecks, and moving goods more quickly from ships to shelves. Progress has been made on this initiative, including by the recent unveiling of the Downtown Skyport, a multi-modal hub for sustainable transportation and last-mile delivery; an\u00a0investment of $18 million to upgrade port operations at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal; and a\u00a0$ 164 million federal grant\u00a0NYCEDC received to transform the 122-acre Brooklyn Marine Terminal into a modern, 21st-century maritime port and mixed-use community.<\/p>\n

The competition of each of these sites increases transportation resiliency and helps alleviate critical food security bottlenecks, making New York City better equipped to receive goods during times of emergency or disaster.<\/p>\n

The Hunts Point Marine Terminal will build on the recently announced Blue Highways facility in partnership with\u00a0Con Agg Global, which will be located adjacent to the Fulton Fish Market in the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center and next door to the new Hunts Point Marine Terminal.<\/p>\n

Con Agg Global\u2019s facility, set to begin operations this year, will initially handle construction materials such as natural sand, gravel, and stone. Eventually, a permanent facility \u2014 currently seeking final sourcing and additional approvals \u2014 will handle more goods; it is expected to remove approximately 1,000 truck trips per month in the South Bronx.<\/p>\n

The permanent facility will feature an inland standard barge with a modular pier design to allow for rapid deployment, high capacity, and flexibility to adjust the design and layout based on evolving market demands for freight, including micro freight.<\/p>\n

Moreover, NYCEDC has awarded $1.4 million to the Greater Hunts Point Economic Development Corporation (GHPEDC) to lead an Economic Mobility Network in Hunts Point, connecting residents to training and local, good-paying jobs at the Food Distribution Center and innovation industries in the green economy. GHPEDC\u2019s coalition partners will include WorkforceBX, The Point CDC, The Hope Program, Bronx River Alliance, Rocking the Boat, Fulton Fish Market Cooperative, Empire Clean Cities, and the Hunts Point Longwood Community Coalition. The Hunts Point Marine Terminal and the Economic Mobility Network represent the city\u2019s long-term investment to advance equitable economic growth in Hunts Point.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe transformation of the decommissioned Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center into the Hunts Point Marine Terminal is a bold and innovative step forward for the Bronx and New York City. This project not only reimagines our waterfront for productive use, but also directly tackles pollution and congestion. By shifting freight from trucks to marine vessels, we are improving air quality, decreasing traffic on our roads, and enhancing the quality of life for our residents. Equally important, the new terminal will create good-paying union jobs and long-term economic opportunities for Bronx families,\u201d said\u00a0Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank Mayor Adams, NYCEDC, and all the partners involved in this project for investing in sustainable infrastructure and ensuring Hunts Point remains a vital engine for growth in our borough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor almost two decades, first as a member and district manager of Bronx Community Board Two, and now as a councilmember, I have worked tirelessly with the community to erase the stained legacy that the Vernon C. Bain Center has left on the South Bronx,\u201d said\u00a0<\/strong>New York City Councilmember Rafael Salamanca.<\/p>\n

\u201cDespite numerous broken promises from past administrations, we never gave up our pursuit of reclaiming our waterfront. Having personally received a commitment from then-mayoral candidate Eric Adams in 2021, I am extremely proud to stand here today with Mayor Adams as we not only announce the next step in removing \u2018The Barge\u2019 once and for all, but a future for the South Bronx that will bring green jobs, cleaner air, and a waterfront that is accessible to all in the form of the new, state-of-the-art Hunts Point Marine Terminal. I thank Mayor Adams and his administration for keeping their word in closing the Vernon C. Bain Center, as well as agency and community stakeholders who have made significant contributions in planning for a reimagined South Bronx without the Barge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPermanently closing this jail and opening space for community-building is a major step forward for the South Bronx. A painful part of our history is now behind us, while ahead lies the opportunity to invest in our communities and proceed toward the city\u2019s historic decarceration plan and a more humane justice system,\u201d said\u00a0Jonathan Monsalve, president and CEO, Osborne Association.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we remove the symbols of our past failures, we make room for a more just future.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe permanent removal of the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center is a landmark moment for the Bronx and for New York City\u2019s commitment to closing Rikers Island. As a lifelong Bronxite raised in Soundview, I know firsthand the burden this facility has placed on our community. Dismantling the jail barge is not only about reducing jail capacity \u2014 it\u2019s about healing a painful legacy and advancing environmental justice for neighborhoods that have long borne the brunt of carceral infrastructure,\u201d said\u00a0Stanley\u00a0Richards, president and CEO, The Fortune Society.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt shows what is possible when New York City unites around a shared vision \u2014 public safety rooted in prevention, alternatives to incarceration, and robust reentry services. This is how we build safer, healthier, and more just communities for all.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEWYORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and New York City Department of Correction (DOC) Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie announced that the city will remove the decommissioned Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center (VCBC) barge from Hunts Point and pursue an innovative Hunts Point Marine […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":37184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1469,31,1378],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-york","category-news","category-us"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37183"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37185,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37183\/revisions\/37185"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vosa.tv\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}