A decommissioned jail barge that spent decades moored off New York City was towed away Monday, ending its long and controversial run on the Big Apple waterfront.
The removal of the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center from the Hunts Point Peninsula in the Bronx was carried out by Louisiana Scrap Metal Recycling, Lafayette, La., a dismantling and recycling company selected through a request for proposal by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). The company will tow the barge to its Gibson, La., facility for dismantling. Recovered steel and other metals will be sold to U.S. mills and foundries for reuse.
The tow-away involved three tugboats — the offshore tug Zion M Falgout from Offshore Towing Inc., Larose, La., and the assist tugs Casey Ann and Douglas J from DonJon Marine Co. LLC, Hillside, N.J., — to transport the five-story barge out of New York.
The city will receive $1.5 million in compensation in addition to the value of removal and transportation, according to the NYCEDC.
Built by Avondale Shipyard in Louisiana, the 625' Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center was opened in 1992 to relieve overcrowding at Rikers Island. The 800-bed jail barge, nicknamed "The Boat," has been viewed as a symbol of systemic over-reliance on incarceration, and its removal comes after years of community advocacy and a broader push to shutter outdated correctional facilities.
In 2022, Mayor Eric Adams’ administration announced plans to decommission the facility and launched a community engagement process to redevelop the site. The facility was closed in 2023.
NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión Jr., and community members attended the removal event. “Today is a new day for the Hunts Point peninsula as we finally remove the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center, a jail barge that has long overstayed on our city’s waterfront,” Kimball said. “This celebratory moment is a win for the Hunts Point community, for Mayor Adams, who put forth a bold vision in the ‘Hunts Point Forward’ plan, and for New York City, as we can work on the next step towards making the Hunts Point Marine Terminal a reality while building on the Blue Highways Action Plan.”
The barge’s removal is part of Adams’ 2022 “Hunts Point Forward” plan, a 15-year vision for economic growth, environmental improvement, and quality-of-life upgrades in the South Bronx.
With the site cleared, the city plans to redevelop the waterfront for the proposed Hunts Point Marine Terminal, which would handle containerized cargo and support maritime freight routes throughout the region. The project is expected to create about 400 construction jobs, 100 permanent jobs, and generate $3.9 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years. Officials say it could also eliminate 9,000 monthly truck trips from city streets.
The Hunts Point Marine Terminal would connect with other maritime facilities, including the recently announced Blue Highways facility near the Fulton Fish Market and the planned redevelopment of the Brooklyn Marine Terminal.
NYCEDC said it will invest $28.3 million in shoreline repairs and greenway expansion at the former barge site and the nearby Department of Sanitation’s South Bronx Marine Transfer Terminal. Completion of the new facilities is anticipated in 2027.
