If you grew up on the East End before the Greenport Jail closed in 1995, you probably remember the green light (or blue, as some recall) on the building’s exterior glowing whenever someone was being held inside.
Built in 1917 for just under $4,000, the 400-square-foot jail served the village for nearly eight decades before closing when the Greenport Police Department was disbanded. For generations of local kids, the little brick building on Carpenter Street felt larger than life — a place wrapped in mystery, curiosity and just enough fear to fuel stories on the ride home.
“It was the coolest thing in the world,” says local builder Glenn Heidtmann. “[When the blue light was on] my parents would tell me somebody was in there. It was scary. That story still resonates with people.”
Now, more than 30 years after its infamous light went dark, the iconic landmark is undergoing a potential rebirth — not as a functioning jail, but as a piece of Greenport history worth preserving.
Heidtmann, who volunteers and works on preservation projects with the East End Seaport Museum & Marine Foundation, was asked earlier this year by village officials to address the jail’s immediate safety concerns.
In its vacant years, the jail’s brickwork deteriorated and its interior fell into disrepair. Visitors stopping next door at Greenport Harbor Brewing Company have long admired the historic structure from a distance — the intriguing little building has been a favorite subject for photographers — but loose masonry and other hazards make getting too close unsafe.
“I got a phone call about the jail … just to fix some things that were dangerous to the public,” Heidtmann says. “Loose brick … we fixed the part of a stoop that was falling apart. That was really the extent of the restoration.”
But what began as Heidtmann’s small maintenance project quickly reignited public interest in one of Greenport’s most recognizable landmarks. When he shared a video of the progress online, the response surprised even him.
“Right now, there’s over 32,000 views on Facebook,” Heidtmann says. “That says a lot about the community’s connection to the jail.”
Despite the excitement, both Heidtmann and village officials caution that a full restoration remains only an idea.
“I call it ‘the beginning of a restoration.’ As of right now, there are no plans or funding in place for a bigger scope,” Heidtmann says.
“At this time, the work completed at this site was focused on addressing potential safety hazards,” says village administrator Jenna Esposito, adding that there is no immediate timeline for additional improvements as the village continues evaluating broader infrastructure needs and prioritizing other pressing projects. Although, she says, “it would be incredible to fully rejuvenate the space and preserve it for future use.”
Heidtmann, who recently was part and parcel to restoring the Old Mill Inn, believes the building still has plenty of potential to be restored as a public historical site.
“It’s in bad shape, but the exterior and the roof are good enough to advance the idea of restoring the inside,” he says. “I’m passionate. I can’t promise anything other than my passion. I’d love for them to ask me to come back and do the interior.”
For Heidtmann, the project is personal.
“I’m local. My kids went to Greenport, and it’s an important part of being from here. I would love to see the community able to access this space.”
