For nearly 30 years, the Kingsbridge Armory—thought to be the largest in the world—has sat empty, despite multiple attempts to redevelop the space. That may soon change, thanks to a plan being considered, developed by one of our most longtime Veatch grantees, the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition and several other community-based partners in the area.
Under the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition’s plan, the 570,000 square foot Armory would provide space for manufacturing jobs in industries like 3-D printing, coffee roasting and carpentry; a commercial kitchen; a live performance space; affordable housing; and more. If selected, the coalition of community-based organizations would succeed where many other deep-pocketed developers have failed. (Click here to see a video of the development plan.)
Many previous plans have been stymied by the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition and its allies, who have been frustrated by development proposals that refused to center the needs and perspectives of the surrounding members of the community, many of whom are low-income. “We’ve been fighting back for a really long time,” Sandra Lobo, the executive director of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, in a recent New York Times article profiling the community-led development effort. “It’s time to fight forward.”
According to the Times article, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which is managing the selection process, estimates that redeveloping the site could create over 1,800 jobs, including 1,100 in construction, and generate up to $10 billion in economic impact.
Rendering of the proposed Kingsbridge Armory under NWBCCC’s community-led plan.
After leading a 9-month community outreach process in the northwest Bronx to discuss the Armory’s future, the organization submitted their proposal for consideration to the city, which owns the space. If successful, the $1 billion redevelopment plan would become one of the largest in the city; proponents hope it could also provide a blueprint for how other redevelopment efforts can meaningfully involve impacted communities in the process.
While the plan faces competition from major corporations like Steiner Studios, the film studio, the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition and its allies are continuing to organize in favor of its community-led effort. The Economic Development Corporation will likely select a plan toward the end of the summer or early fall of this year. To read the entire plan, click here.