The Tombs
Coordinates: 40°42′59.8″N 74°00′05″W / 40.716611°N 74.00139°W
The Tombs is the colloquial name for the Manhattan Detention Complex (formerly the Bernard B. Kerik Complex), a municipal jail in Lower Manhattan at 125 White Street, as well as the nickname for three previous city-run jails in the former Five Points neighborhood of lower Manhattan, an area now known as the Civic Center.
The original Tombs, officially known as the Halls of Justice, was built in 1838 in the Egyptian Revival style. It was a replacement for the colonial era Bridewell Prison, located in today's City Hall Park. The new structure incorporated material from the Bridewell (built in 1735 and demolished in 1838), mainly granite, to save money.
The four buildings known as The Tombs were:
The first complex to have the nickname was completed in 1838. The design by John Haviland was allegedly inspired by a picture of an Egyptian tomb that appeared in John Lloyd Stephens' Incidents of Travel in Egypt, although this appears to be untrue. The building was 253 feet, 3 inches in length by 200 feet, 5 inches wide and it occupied a full block, surrounded by Centre, Franklin Street, Elm (today's Lafayette), and Leonard Streets. It initially accommodated about 300 prisoners. Originally $250,000 was allocated in 1835 to build the Tombs, however various cost overruns occurred prior to completion of the project.
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