The city has selected a developer for the long-empty Kingsbridge Armory, following a competitive solicitation process based on community input.
8th Regiment Partners LLC will oversee the reconstruction and development of the armory and its operation once completed, as announced today by Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Rep. Adriano Espaillat and Andrew Kimball, president and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).
“At the Kingsbridge Armory, our administration saw a historic yet underutilized site as an opportunity to dream and deliver a bold, forward-looking vision for the Bronx,” said Adams in a statement.
The new plan for the center, dubbed “El Centro Kingsbridge,” includes sports facilities, event space, a workforce development center and commercial and community space in the first phase, and 450 units of affordable housing in the second phase.
The massive armory — the country’s largest — was built starting in 1912 and has largely sat empty and closed to the public since the 1990s. The city has tried and failed twice to develop it, first into a mall in 2008 and a skating rink in 2013.
The chosen developer for this latest effort was informed by the “Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan,” which was created with input from over 4,000 community members from 20 local events and 900 survey responses, said Council Member Pierina Sanchez.
“As this project enters its next stage, I remain committed to the guiding principles set forth in the ‘Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan”: to prioritize our youth, uplift older adults, foster intergenerational relationships, create jobs and wealth for local workers, grow a regenerative, Bronx-centered economy, and maximize community ownership,” said Sanchez.
The armory is backed by $215 million in public dollars from local, state and federal elected officials and is expected to bring $2.6 billion in economic impact over 30 years. The project will create 3,000 union construction jobs and 360 permanent jobs in an area where just 6% of locals both work and live in the neighborhood, according to the working group report.
For many, today’s announcement has been a long time coming.
“Having lived much of my life in Kingsbridge Heights within blocks of the Armory, I am thrilled that this is finally happening,” said Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz. “This redevelopment is not just about revitalizing a landmark—it’s about creating opportunities for our community.”
Community concerns
The announcement was met with some skepticism on the basis of worker safety and protection of the Kingsbridge community, which is home to about 85,000 people.
Reporting by THE CITY raised potential concerns about the safety record of Joy Construction and Maddd Equities real estate firm, which collectively make up 8th Regiment Partners LLC.
In 2022, one worker at Joy Construction was killed and another suffered an amputation on a work site in Tremont, and the company was fined by OSHA after an investigation. In addition, THE CITY cited a New York Times investigation into the deaths of three construction workers on site at 20 Bruckner Boulevard in the South Bronx — a project overseen by the owner of Maddd Equities under a different venture — between 2018 and 2021.
The Bronx Times reached out to Maddd Equities and Joy Construction and has not yet received a response.
The Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC), a local advocacy group that dates back to the 1970s, issued a statement expressing wariness about how the project will meet the community-centered goals set forth by the working group. NWBCCC said it put forth its own armory proposal, which was not selected.
The organization said the city has provided a “general list of intended future uses” for the structure without specifying what partners will bring the vision into reality. “This is of concern to all of us who, after 25 years, want the Armory finally transformed into an economic engine that prepares people for good-paying jobs of today and tomorrow, and maps a path for the power and capital generated by the Bronx to support the Bronx,” its statement said.
NWBCCC said it plans to launch a Coalition of Accountability to monitor the project and ensure the group’s priorities are met concerning good jobs, community ownership, anti-displacement and environmental standards. The organization said the redevelopment “cannot jeopardize the economic livelihood of the working people of the Bronx and accelerate the displacement of residents and businesses”
“We will remain cautiously optimistic and proactive in our work to achieve this vision, ensuring that our community can withstand the pressures of gentrification and thrive amid the coming changes,” NWBCCC said.
Environmental review for El Centro Kingsbridge will begin this winter and the ULURP (land use) process is expected to begin in mid-2025. A spokesperson for the NYCEDC said construction is expected to begin in 2027 with a completion goal of 2032.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
