Further sharpening contrasts with the Bloomberg administration, Comptroller Bill Thompson has blocked a $31.3 million city design contract for the Brooklyn House of Detention, which the mayor is seeking to reopen and expand.
In a letter to the commissioner of the Department of Design and Construction, Mr. Thompson's office said it was blocking the contract due to the ballooning costs of the development—and the design work—which together total $420 million, up from an original price tag of $200 million.
Mr. Thompson, a mayoral candidate, and a number of other local elected officials have come out against the project, saying it is not the best use for the space (he’s also a plaintiff on a lawsuit against the Bloomberg administration on the project, litigated by Randy Mastro). read more »
