New Bellevue Jail Unit to Open as Rikers Medical Facility Shuts Down

The $241 million unit has faced years of delays and cost overruns, but will provide improved medical care for detainees.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 8:04am

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An extreme close-up photograph of a set of handcuffs or other security equipment used in jails, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually illustrating the gritty, investigative nature of the story about improving medical care for detainees.The opening of a new medical facility at Bellevue Hospital aims to address the harsh realities of Rikers Island's aging and troubled correctional system.NYC Today

After years of delays and cost overruns, New York City plans to finally open part of a quarter-billion dollar unit at Bellevue Hospital for seriously ill detainees on Rikers Island. The city will also close the North Infirmary Command, the original Rikers Island hospital constructed in 1932, as the new 104-bed Department of Correction unit on Bellevue's second floor is set to open in phases.

Why it matters

The new Bellevue unit is seen as an important step in getting medically vulnerable detainees out of the 'deplorable conditions' at the aging North Infirmary Command on Rikers, which has been used to 'disappear' detainees in a 'pseudo-solitary' setting. However, the shortage of space at Bellevue raises concerns that some patients with significant medical needs may still end up housed in general population units on Rikers, where they are more vulnerable.

The details

The $241 million Bellevue unit has nearly doubled in cost and is years behind schedule, with its price tag climbing from $130 million. The first phase is expected to open with just around 25 beds. City officials plan to move staff from the infirmary on Rikers to the new Bellevue unit. The closure of the North Infirmary Command is expected to be permanent, as the facility will be decommissioned with the state Commission of Correction.

  • The Bellevue unit was first unveiled in 2019 with a planned 2022 opening, but has now spanned three mayoral administrations.
  • As of March 10, there were 314 detainees in the North Infirmary Command, with an estimated 25 to be transferred to the new Bellevue unit.
  • Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday morning at Bellevue to announce the long-awaited partial opening of the new unit.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The current mayor of New York City, who plans to hold a press conference announcing the partial opening of the new Bellevue unit.

Lynelle Maginley-Liddie

The former Corrections Commissioner, who pointed to the project's lack of approval from the New York State Commission of Correction as an obstacle to the Bellevue unit's opening.

Victor Pate

The co-director of the HALT Solitary campaign and a former Rikers detainee, who welcomed the opening of the Bellevue unit as 'an important step' in getting medically vulnerable people out of 'deplorable conditions' at the North Infirmary Command.

Lincoln Restler

A Brooklyn City Council member who has pushed to open the Bellevue unit and was 'thankful the Mamdani administration is finally moving forward' with the project.

Jeanette Merrill

A spokesperson for Correctional Health Services, who did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

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What they’re saying

“It's disgraceful there have been so many years of delays, but I'm thankful the Mamdani administration is finally moving forward.”

— Lincoln Restler, Brooklyn City Council member

“It was one of the most extreme sites of isolation in the jail system.”

— Victor Pate, co-director of the HALT Solitary campaign and former Rikers detainee

What’s next

Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday morning at Bellevue to announce the long-awaited partial opening of the new unit.

The takeaway

The opening of the new Bellevue unit represents an important step in improving medical care for detainees, but concerns remain about whether it will be sufficient to address the significant needs of the Rikers Island population and the facility's history of poor conditions.