Many of the 100 people who attended Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson’s July 17 public hearing on the Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment plan said the time had come to move forward with the project, though plenty of concerns remain.
The hearing focused on land use changes as part of the city’s official ULURP process. It was held at the KIPP school in the shadow of the historic structure, and a recording is available on YouTube.
Gibson, who attended via livestream, said the $200 million project “has the true potential to transform not just a landmark building but for the future of the northwest Bronx as both a local and regional destination.”
Though the borough president’s vote is advisory only, her judgment will weigh heavily as the project continues through the process.
Among the in-person attendees were dozens of union members from 32BJ and DC9 advocating for developer 8th Regiment Partners LLC to use only union labor during construction and a union workforce once the multi-use building is open.
Community members heard a presentation by 8th Regiment, architectural and design partners and the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the nonprofit leading the redevelopment process. The longstanding nonprofit Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition has already negotiated a partial ownership stake in the project.
Then, the audience heard testimony from elected officials and 20 members of the public, and the borough president’s staff asked questions of the development team.
The revamped armory is expected to include a 17,000-seat event center, sports fields, retail, a food hall, community space, a workforce development center, parking garages, a light manufacturing facility on the lower level and more. In the second phase, 450 to 500 apartments for households with 30-80% AMI will be constructed.
Once redeveloped, the armory, backed by city, state and federal funds, is expected to generate approximately $2.6 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years and create at least 3,000 construction jobs and 360 permanent jobs.
To complete the project, the developer has applied to privatize what is currently city-owned land and rezoning to allow for the mixed-use facility, as well as special permits to construct the parking garages and for the high-capacity event arena.
Community Board 7 already voted 19 to 3 to approve the application at its full board meeting on June 17. Based on the required ULURP timeline, the board was obligated to review and vote between May 28 and June 20.
Community testimony
Council Member Pierina Sanchez, who led the community vision process, testified through a representative that the project has exciting potential but raised concerns about its environmental impact and ensuring community oversight.
After past attempts at redeveloping the armory failed twice, “There is no question: the proposal before you today is the closest we have been to turning that vision into reality,” Sanchez’s testimony said.
However, she raised concerns about air pollution, which the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) identified as a “significant adverse impact” in certain areas around the structure.
“I urge the City and development team to specify what measures they will take to minimize impacts on air quality — and, more broadly, to continue pursuing renewable energy, increased green space and tree canopy, and other climate solutions,” Sanchez testified.
She also said the Draft EIS identified traffic and transportation during peak hours as a potential challenge, especially when large events are happening. Sanchez urged the developer to work with the MTA to improve the nearby 4 train station and bus routes.
Sanchez also said developers must continue to engage local residents and that community oversight should be codified into the process.
“To ensure this project delivers on its promises and is responsive to the community over the long term, we must establish and support an oversight body that includes a broad range of local stakeholders,” she said. “This will only strengthen the project and has the potential to make the Kingsbridge Armory a national model for equitable economic development.”
The developers are planning for a Community Advisory Council but said its exact powers and responsibilities are still in the works.
State Senator Robert Jackson, who spoke at the hearing, agreed that “development without the community is displacement.”
Developers should ensure that community members are given “not just a seat at the table, they’re building the table,” Jackson said.
Speakers at the hearing were largely supportive of the redevelopment plans. Several emphasized the need for local hiring and to ensure that local businesses and street vendors are not pushed out.
A few speakers advocated for free church parking to ensure that increased traffic does not keep people away from historic houses of worship.
One resident said she wanted to see “accessible health and wellness services” within the armory and more two- and three-bedroom apartments in the housing phase, with some set aside for Community Board 7 residents. In addition, she called for a small portion of the aromry’s profits to be reinvested in the Bronx.
“This project needs to go further,” she said.
Other concerns
Beyond the hearing, some community members have raised additional concerns about the redevelopment process.
Some are opposed to Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal to include a semiconductor plant as the light manufacturing component.
Resident Chad Royer, executive member of the Parent Association at P.S. 86, wrote in a May letter to the Department of Education’s Panel for Educational Policy that a semiconductor plant should not be allowed, especially since the armory is near several schools.
“Semiconductor plants are known to produce severe environmental and health hazards,” including toxic chemical exposure and the risk of potential fire, chemical leak or other catastrophe, he said in the letter.
“The Bronx already bears NYC’s highest pollution burden. Adding a fabrication plant near schools (disproportionately serving Black, Latino, and low-income students) is indefensible,” said Royer.
Resident Haile Rivera has publicly raised concerns about the timing of the community board vote.
He said the community board should not have been expected to vote because the project’s Environmental Impact Statement is not yet finalized.
“This is a blatant attempt to railroad the Kingsbridge Armory project through before the community knows the full consequences,” said Rivera in a June 18 email that included the Bronx Times. “The Bronx deserves transparency, not backroom maneuvering. We demand that NYCEDC halt any votes until the full environmental review is public.”
However, the NYCEDC said via spokesperson that the environmental review is intended to remain in draft stage at this point in the process, to allow for changes based on community input and further analysis.
The spokesperson said the environmental study will be finalized by the time the City Planning Commission votes, which must occur within 60 days after Gibson issues her vote.
‘Let’s get it done’
To close out the public hearing, a representative from Gibson’s office posed questions to the developers about transit and parking impacts, ensuring local residents get priority for housing units, protections for small businesses and street vendors, and more.
As Gibson weighs her vote, community members seemed eager to keep the process moving.
After the borough president and City Planning Commission weigh in, the City Council is expected to vote in November. The project is also subject to approval by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission, separate from the ULURP process.
If all these approvals are met, the 8th Regiment plans to break ground in 2026. Phase one (reconstructing the armory itself) will span from 2027 to 2030, and the second phase (housing) is expected to be completed in 2032.
At the hearing, one resident delivered a spoken word poem with the repeated refrain, “Let’s do it.”
“Let’s do it. Let’s get it done,” she said. “Let’s build it to last forever.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
