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Riverfront State Prison

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Coordinates: 39°57′13″N 75°07′39″W / 39.95361°N 75.12750°W / 39.95361; -75.12750
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Riverfront State Prison

Riverfront State Prison (RSP) is a former prison in Camden, New Jersey, that was operated by the New Jersey Department of Corrections from August 12, 1985, to 2009.[1] It was located in the neighborhood of Cooper Point at the intersection of Delaware Avenue and Elm Street.[2]

The prison first opened after the state paid Camden money in exchange for receiving a plot of land that was used to establish the prison.[3] It having been constructed at a cost of $31 million.[4] The prison had a design capacity of 631 inmates, but housed 1,020 in 2007 and 1,017 in 2008.[5]

In 2007, while the state was preparing to close Riverfront, it considered establishing a replacement state prison in Cumberland County, which already had three other state prisons.[6] When officials from the city of Bridgeton, New Jersey, heard of a state report proposing to move Riverfront's prisoners to South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, Bridgeton officials opposed the plans.[7]

The last prisoners were transferred in June 2009 to other locations and the prison was closed.[8] The state had a savings of $43 million per year.[9] The 16-acre site is considered surplus property by the state.[10] The buildings were demolished in 2009.[11][12] In December 2012, the New Jersey Legislature approved the sale of the 16-acre (6.5 ha) site, considered surplus property, to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.[13]

In May 2013 the New Jersey Economic Development Authority announced that it would seek developers for the site.[14] In September 2013 Waterfront Renaissance Associates announced that it proposed to build the Riverfront World Trade Center, a development of 2.3-million-square-foot campus on 16 acres (6.5 ha) on the site. The project would be built in four phases, the first of which would be a promenade along the Delaware River.[15][16][17]

On September 2, 2024, the state made an aggressive proposal involving $800 million in public incentives to the Philadelphia 76ers to build a mixed-used stadium on the site. This immediately prompted condemnation from multiple groups opposed to using public funds to support for-profit sports franchises, along with calls for investigations to any possible connection to George Norcross, his family, and associates who are under federal indictment. [18]

References

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  1. ^ "THE REGION; $31 Million Prison Opens in Jersey". The New York Times. 13 August 1985.
  2. ^ "Riverfront State Prison Driving Directions." New Jersey Department of Corrections. Retrieved on December 1, 2010.
  3. ^ "Modern, nice view 24-hr. security True, razing Riverfront State Prison for condos could bring benefits. But there's no escaping the costs." The Philadelphia Inquirer. July 22, 2003. B02 South Jersey Editorial. Retrieved on December 1, 2010. "It was built 18 years ago, when city officials sold out North Camden. The state paid millions to Camden, which was broke at the time. In return, North Camden got guard towers and razor wire along its waterfront"
  4. ^ United Press International "$31 Million Prison Opens in Jersey", The New York Times, August 13, 1985. Accessed December 25, 2009.
  5. ^ 2010 Budget for the Department of Correction, New Jersey Department of the Treasury. Accessed July 2, 2012.
  6. ^ Jackson, Miles. "IS A NEW PRISON NEEDED?: Facilities offer steady employment in Cumberland Co." Daily Journal. June 23, 2007. A1 News. Retrieved on September 27, 2011.
  7. ^ Martins, John. "Bridgeton doesn't want Camden's state inmates." The Press of Atlantic City. May 23, 2007. Retrieved on September 27, 2011. "City officials on Tuesday night condemned what they say is a state plan to relocate more than 1,000 inmates from Camden's Riverfront State Prison to one of the county's three state prisons."
  8. ^ Staff. "Hated Camden prison goes down", Philadelphia Daily News, December 17, 2009. Accessed July 3, 2011. "In speech after speech, those officials called the demolition of Riverfront State Prison a new beginning for the people of North Camden whose views of the Philadelphia skyline and the Delaware River have been marred by razor wire and watchtowers for 24 years."
  9. ^ Megerian, Chris. "N.J.'s inmate population declines, officials credit less crime, prisoner re-entry programs." NJ.com. Sunday July 18, 2010. Retrieved on December 1, 2010.
  10. ^ "Christie signs bill to auction former Camden prison". 7 February 2013.
  11. ^ Trethan, Phaedra. "From prison to park: Camden's Cooper's Poynt opens", Courier-Post, June 5, 2017. Accessed November 29, 2022. "Sadler, a co-founder of Save Our Waterfront, was front and center in 2009 when Riverfront was demolished."
  12. ^ "Former Camden Prison Site Cleared for Redevelopment".
  13. ^ Laday, Jason. "NJ approves sale of Riverfront State Prison site in Camden", South Jersey Times, December 27, 2012. Accessed December 21, 2014. "The New Jersey Legislature approved a bill allowing the sale of the former Riverfront State Prison site to the state Economic Development Authority, in advance of a public auction, to eventually develop the land."
  14. ^ Laday, Jason (May 29, 2013). "NJ to begin seeking redeveloper for former Camden prison". South Jersey Times. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  15. ^ Kostelni, Natalie (September 9, 2013). "Project considered for former prison site in Camden". Phlladelphia Business Journal. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  16. ^ Terruso, Julia (September 11, 2013). "Developer wants to build a World Trade Center in Camden". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved 2014-06-06.
  17. ^ Laday, Jason (September 9, 2013). "Camden World Trade Center in sites of firm targeting former Riverfront Prison plot". South Jersey Times. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  18. ^ Bergeron, Tom. "State, in aggressive push, giving Sixers details of massive Camden arena project proposal — and huge incentives that come with it". ROI. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
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39°57′13″N 75°07′39″W / 39.95361°N 75.12750°W / 39.95361; -75.12750

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