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Jailscraper is a nickname given to a planned 305-foot-tall jail building in New York's Chinatown, which, when completed, could become the tallest jail in the world. A portmanteau of "jail" and "skyscraper," the Jailscraper became a subject of viral discussions and memes in April 2024 following a viral social media post about it.

Origin

On August 21st, 2023, The Guardian[1][2] reported on the New York City government's plans to construct a new jail building that would replace the Manhattan Detention Complex, also known as The Tombs, and become one of four new borough-based jails, all parts of a new system to replace Riker's Island prison by 2027 (concept art and tweet shown below).

According to the jail's approved zoning permit, the building will extend two to three blocks in all directions and be up to 305 feet tall, making it the tallest jail in the world.

G The Guardian @guardian New York is building the world's tallest jail in Chinatown. Can anyone stop it? The New York is building the world's tallest jail in Chinatown. Can anyone stop it? From theguardian.com . 10:11 AM Aug 21, 2023 75.6K Views ...

On August 22nd, 2023, X[3] user @JeremyWard33 made the earliest notable humorous post about the planned building, which received over 910 reposts and 4,000 likes in eight months (shown below).

Amazon Piss Jugs @JeremyWard33 Americans: We're homeless. Help us. New York: New York New York is building the world's tallest jail in Chinatown. Can anyone stop it? Planners say the facility will help heal the criminal justice system. But local residents see a brutal symbol of incarceration 6:30 AM - Aug 22, 2023 · 137K Views ...

On April 1st, 2024, The New York Times[4] published an article about the jail project. On April 4th, X[5][6] accounts @AFpost and @TheCalvinCooli1 both reported on the project, writing that the building has been referred to as "jailscraper." The posts (shown below, left and right) received over 890 reposts and 570 likes and 2,600 reposts and 2,200 likes, respectively, in four days.

AF. AF Post @AFpost NYC plans to build world's tallest prison, a 40-story “Jailscraper,” to house 1,000 inmates. Follow: @AFpost • . 1:18 PM Apr 4, 2024 1.1M Views ...
The Calvin Coolidge Project @TheCalvin Cooli1 Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called “Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. . 7:47 PM - Apr 4, 2024 · 5.1M Views

Spread

The posts were followed by viral discussions and memes about the New York City government ignoring popular demands in favor of the project, as well as memes imagining the Jailscraper being a setting for 1990s action films.

For example, on April 4th, 2024, X[7] user @AltHistCody made a post that received over 4,000 reposts and 65,000 likes in four days (shown below, left). On April 5th, X[8] user @shack_diesel posted a joke that garnered over 1,400 reposts and 10,000 likes in the same period (shown below, right).

Cody @AltHistCody Jailscraper sounds like the best 90s action movie that never existed The Calvin Coolidge Project @TheCalvin Cooli1 · Apr 4 • Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called "Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. 10:15 PM Apr 4, 2024 2.2M Views ...
bc rich mockingbird collector @shack_diesel Wow, I would hate to have to fight my way either up or down this across 90 action packed minutes AF. AF Post @AFpost Apr 4 NYC plans to build world's tallest prison, a 40-story “Jailscraper,” to house 1,000 inmates. Follow: @AFpost 10:06 AM Apr 5, 2024 530.9K Views

Jailscraper remained a viral topic of discussions and memes on social media in the following days.

Various Examples

Caitlin Johnstone @caitoz Only way to make this more American would be to put a giant McDonald's logo on it. AF. AF Post @AFpost Apr 4 • NYC plans to build world's tallest prison, a 40-story "Jailscraper,” to house 1,000 inmates. Follow: @AFpost • . 6:46 PM Apr 6, 2024 47.9K Views
W.N.R. @Weapon NR His time has come. II GIF The Calvin Coolidge Project @TheCalvin Cooli1 - Apr 4 Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called “Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. 5:33 AM Apr 5, 2024 9,416 Views
q!ત્ર ઞI @Mrmcburgerboy The guards on the Jailscraper when the Toppat Clan shows up: II GIF . 7:29 AM • Apr 6, 2024 · 5,084 Views ...

DizzyFizz @SwaggerSoda bir ill H B The Calvin Coolidge Project ❤ @TheCalvin Cooli1 - Apr 4 Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called “Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. 1:15 PM - Apr 5, 2024 133.7K Views กับ
val @wlwspoiler gotham city core The Calvin Coolidge Project @TheCalvin Cooli1 - Apr 4 Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called “Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. 5:44 AM Apr 6, 2024 • 40K Views
The Silver Legion Project @Silver_Legion_ "Sir a second plane has hit the Jailscraper" • 8:58 PM Apr 4, 2024 · 111K Views 조금 MA

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Jailscraper concept art depiction.

Jailscraper

Updated Apr 08, 2024 at 05:49PM EDT by Zach.

Added Apr 08, 2024 at 03:25PM EDT by Philipp.

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About

Jailscraper is a nickname given to a planned 305-foot-tall jail building in New York's Chinatown, which, when completed, could become the tallest jail in the world. A portmanteau of "jail" and "skyscraper," the Jailscraper became a subject of viral discussions and memes in April 2024 following a viral social media post about it.

Origin

On August 21st, 2023, The Guardian[1][2] reported on the New York City government's plans to construct a new jail building that would replace the Manhattan Detention Complex, also known as The Tombs, and become one of four new borough-based jails, all parts of a new system to replace Riker's Island prison by 2027 (concept art and tweet shown below).

According to the jail's approved zoning permit, the building will extend two to three blocks in all directions and be up to 305 feet tall, making it the tallest jail in the world.


G The Guardian @guardian New York is building the world's tallest jail in Chinatown. Can anyone stop it? The New York is building the world's tallest jail in Chinatown. Can anyone stop it? From theguardian.com . 10:11 AM Aug 21, 2023 75.6K Views ...

On August 22nd, 2023, X[3] user @JeremyWard33 made the earliest notable humorous post about the planned building, which received over 910 reposts and 4,000 likes in eight months (shown below).


Amazon Piss Jugs @JeremyWard33 Americans: We're homeless. Help us. New York: New York New York is building the world's tallest jail in Chinatown. Can anyone stop it? Planners say the facility will help heal the criminal justice system. But local residents see a brutal symbol of incarceration 6:30 AM - Aug 22, 2023 · 137K Views ...

On April 1st, 2024, The New York Times[4] published an article about the jail project. On April 4th, X[5][6] accounts @AFpost and @TheCalvinCooli1 both reported on the project, writing that the building has been referred to as "jailscraper." The posts (shown below, left and right) received over 890 reposts and 570 likes and 2,600 reposts and 2,200 likes, respectively, in four days.


AF. AF Post @AFpost NYC plans to build world's tallest prison, a 40-story “Jailscraper,” to house 1,000 inmates. Follow: @AFpost • . 1:18 PM Apr 4, 2024 1.1M Views ... The Calvin Coolidge Project @TheCalvin Cooli1 Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called “Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. . 7:47 PM - Apr 4, 2024 · 5.1M Views

Spread

The posts were followed by viral discussions and memes about the New York City government ignoring popular demands in favor of the project, as well as memes imagining the Jailscraper being a setting for 1990s action films.

For example, on April 4th, 2024, X[7] user @AltHistCody made a post that received over 4,000 reposts and 65,000 likes in four days (shown below, left). On April 5th, X[8] user @shack_diesel posted a joke that garnered over 1,400 reposts and 10,000 likes in the same period (shown below, right).


Cody @AltHistCody Jailscraper sounds like the best 90s action movie that never existed The Calvin Coolidge Project @TheCalvin Cooli1 · Apr 4 • Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called "Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. 10:15 PM Apr 4, 2024 2.2M Views ... bc rich mockingbird collector @shack_diesel Wow, I would hate to have to fight my way either up or down this across 90 action packed minutes AF. AF Post @AFpost Apr 4 NYC plans to build world's tallest prison, a 40-story “Jailscraper,” to house 1,000 inmates. Follow: @AFpost 10:06 AM Apr 5, 2024 530.9K Views

Jailscraper remained a viral topic of discussions and memes on social media in the following days.

Various Examples


Caitlin Johnstone @caitoz Only way to make this more American would be to put a giant McDonald's logo on it. AF. AF Post @AFpost Apr 4 • NYC plans to build world's tallest prison, a 40-story "Jailscraper,” to house 1,000 inmates. Follow: @AFpost • . 6:46 PM Apr 6, 2024 47.9K Views W.N.R. @Weapon NR His time has come. II GIF The Calvin Coolidge Project @TheCalvin Cooli1 - Apr 4 Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called “Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. 5:33 AM Apr 5, 2024 9,416 Views q!ત્ર ઞI @Mrmcburgerboy The guards on the Jailscraper when the Toppat Clan shows up: II GIF . 7:29 AM • Apr 6, 2024 · 5,084 Views ...
DizzyFizz @SwaggerSoda bir ill H B The Calvin Coolidge Project ❤ @TheCalvin Cooli1 - Apr 4 Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called “Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. 1:15 PM - Apr 5, 2024 133.7K Views กับ val @wlwspoiler gotham city core The Calvin Coolidge Project @TheCalvin Cooli1 - Apr 4 Report: New York City is planning to build the world's tallest prison. The slammer has been called “Jailscraper” The jail will hold 1,000 prisoners across a 40-floor tower. 5:44 AM Apr 6, 2024 • 40K Views The Silver Legion Project @Silver_Legion_ "Sir a second plane has hit the Jailscraper" • 8:58 PM Apr 4, 2024 · 111K Views 조금 MA

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