By Joseph Morales

The Kingsbridge Armory was built in The Bronx on W Kingsbridge Rd and Jerome Ave next to the Kingsbridge Rd(4) subway station in 1917. The armory is also in close vicinity to Fordham Rd, I-87(Major Deegan Expressway), Mosholu Pkwy, Henry Hudson Pkwy, and other major roadways. The armory’s purpose, along with six other large armories in Manhattan and Brooklyn, was to help train National Guard soldiers and store military equipment, including during World War II. While the National Guard was formerly known for putting down protests, strikes, and riots during the Industrial Revolution, new labor laws, such as the eight-hour workday and minimum wage laws, had largely met the desires of workers. Additionally, these new laws led to the public not viewing worker protests as a threat to capitalism or the American economy as they knew it. Hence, the new armories, like the one in Kingsbridge, were part of an era when the National Guard transformed into an organization that, while still a part of the military, held a strong interest in the common good and stability for the communities it served. 

                Despite the purpose of the National Guard shifting, its architecture was still reminiscent of its role in the past, with its castle-like towers and monumental size being indicative of authority and power. The uses of the building are also supportive of the building’s purpose as a civic space, having been used by the New York National Guard to stage responses to both Hurricane Sandy and the COVID-19 pandemic by supplying food and shelter to families when applicable. 

             Despite several important uses over the years, the building has sat mostly vacant since 1996. There was an attempt to redevelop it into a mall in 2008, which would have created hundreds, if not over 1,000 jobs. However, it was rejected by the City Council on the grounds that those jobs would have paid at or just slightly above the $7.25/hour minimum wage at the time. There were also concerns that the presence of a mall would hurt small businesses in the surrounding Kingsbridge Heights community. The amount of congestion a mall would create in what is already one of the most congested areas of The Bronx was also a matter of concern. Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg vetoed the City Council’s decision, but it was overridden in a landslide 48-1 vote.

After the shopping mall failed, the city tried once again to usher in a major redevelopment of the Armory with a proposal to construct the Kingsbridge Armory National Ice Center(KNIC) that the City Council approved in late 2013. The ice center would have been a premier destination for ice sports and would have included next-in-class amenities such as nine ice rinks and a wellness center. The nine rinks would have included the largest indoor ice skating rink in the world, along with a 5,000-seat arena. The plan would have also included community and retail space along with 457 parking spots. Unfortunately, this plan also failed when the KNIC failed financial issues and legal litigation. 

                Also highly considered since the Armory’s closure were schools in the likely still overcrowded Bronx District 10, as well as an attempt from former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2000 to convert the Armory into a massive retail, entertainment, and recreational hub. However, the school idea was rejected in late 2006 due to landmark laws prohibiting exterior alterations, and the initial mall attempt failed when the development company withdrew due to construction costs. Giuliani’s proposal did not include any input from Bronx residents or elected officials, which is likely an outcome everyone wants to avoid the next time around. 

                 After years of proposals, broken promises, and false starts, the New York City Economic Development Corporation(NYCEDC) is finally on the road to redeveloping the Kingsbridge Armory with the needs of The Bronx community paramount. The NYCEDC has completed a massive community outreach effort known as Together for Kingsbridge/Juntos Para Kingsbridge, that included community workshops, engagement with elected officials, public tours of the armory, and more. In total, the NYCEDC received feedback from over 4,000 community members during the nine-month engagement period. 

               The NYCEDC also established a community working group with members that would help to lead the visioning process and serve as the “decision-making foundation” for significant actions such as requests for proposals(RFPs) that invite developers to begin the redevelopment of the Armory. The group is co-chaired by District 14 City Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez and Executive Director of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Association Sandra Lobo. 

                In August 2023, the NYCEDC published the Together For Kingsbridge Vision Plan that discussed what the NYCEDC realized was the community’s priorities for The Armory following the public outreach process.  They found that community members largely wanted the Armory to support jobs as well as economic growth for The Bronx. One additional economy-related guiding principle included in the Vision Plan was for the Armory to be a regional destination that attracts visitors from outside the Bronx to both the Armory and The Bronx as a whole. According to the Vision Plan, community members want the Armory to become a regional destination by “…showcasing and uplifting Bronx local communities-it’s people, culture and history.”  Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul invested $100 million each for a total of $200 million to support any development project that ultimately takes place.

                 Outside of commercial or lucrative use, guiding principles also included the desire for an Armory that could be of meaningful use to people of all ages. For example, community members expressed a desire for the Armory to cater to the needs of youth and provide a safe place for learning and socializing along with an Armory with programming more geared toward older adults. These community members also emphasized the idea of the Armory being a place where people can foster intergenerational relationships and participate in activities geared toward all ages where both older adults and youth can learn from one another. Additionally, one of the guiding principles was to “maximize community ownership” by allowing the community to benefit from the revenue of the Armory and have an active role in how decisions are made regarding the building. The Vision Plan also included potential anchor industries for the Armory, such as film and TV, sustainable manufacturing, urban agriculture, and emerging technologies, which include things like robotics, medicine, and information technology.

In addition to the primary industries, potential complementary uses included retail and dining, vocational training, and community gathering. Complementary uses were uses that would not be able to offset their costs but could still be highly beneficial for the community. The community also expressed, like they had in the past, for any businesses to not directly compete with the small businesses surrounding the Armory that make up the heart of the Kingsbridge Heights community.

                   More recently, in September 2023, the NYCEDC released an RFP for developers interested in repurposing the Armomy to align with the guiding principles chosen by community members. The RFP says that competitive proposals must be for a “financially feasible, mixed-use development” that can balance being an economic engine for The Bronx with addressing the needs of the immediate surrounding communities. The proposal must also be able to serve diverse groups of people, including those of all ages, including youth and older adults. Additionally, at least 25,000 sq ft of space must be subleased to community-based organizations(CBOs) at discounted rates. For perspective, the average square footage for a community center in the United States is 10,000 sq ft, according to the construction data company RSMeans. In addition, the NYCEDC requires that developers deliver a hiring program that creates jobs for community members and includes “economically disadvantaged candidates.” 

                   The NYCEDC also expressed that developers should aim to construct their proposals with energy efficiency, carbon neutrality, and sustainability in mind. As electric vehicles are becoming more popular around the world, the agency requires that developers either submit a plan to make 20% of expected parking spaces at the Armory or provide an explanation as to why that is not feasible in their proposal. 

Speaking of vehicles, it is interesting to wonder if or how much congestion any development at The Armory would cause. The construction of parking will likely be a must for any development, as parking is at a premium in the neighborhood and even the original mall plans from January 2000 included provisions for a 600-space underground parking garage. Regardless, how much parking is needed will ultimately depend on how many motorists from across the region the development would draw. Given that it is still unclear what The Armory will be used for, this will likely be considered by companies as they are developing their proposals of what The Armory should become.

The Armory’s proximity to the 4, B and D trains along with several local bus routes should make the development highly accessible by mass transit, which should help people from across The Bronx and even surrounding areas of Upper Manhattan and Westchester County to be able to conveniently access The Armory. The Fordham Metro-North station, which serves three lines, is also a short bus ride from the Armory. This transit access can help to discourage people from driving to The Armory given it is already in a congested area and/or it could especially help the 58% of Bronx households do not have access to a vehicle to be able to access The Armory.

                     As the RFP was released in August and proposals are not due to the NYCEDC for evaluation until January 18th, 2024, Bronxites will have to wait just a little while longer until they can find out the future of the venerable Kingsbridge Armory. The Kingsbridge Armory would not be the first armory to be developed into something great, as the Park Slope Armory in Brooklyn became a YMCA, and the Fort Washington Armory in Manhattan became New York’s premier track and field venue. While a community-driven development at The Armory has been almost three decades in the making, there is hope and excitement that The Armory will soon become a destination where people from across the New York region can work, play, learn, or maybe do all of the above.

Works Cited

“Lehman College Art Gallery: Architecture/Kingsbridge Armory.” Lehman College, https://www.lehman.edu/vpadvance/artgallery/arch/buildings/armory.html. Accessed 28 October 2023.

Shepard, Cassim. “The Armory and the City: Civic Spaces of the National Guard.” Urban Omnibus, 18 September 2013, https://urbanomnibus.net/2013/09/the-armory-and-the-city-civic-spaces-of-the-national-guard/. Accessed 28 October 2023.

Moss, Jordan, et al. “Opinion: The Kingsbridge Armory Plan Fell Apart—Again. The Bronx Deserves Better Next Time.” City Limits, 2 March 2022, https://citylimits.org/2022/03/02/opinion-the-kingsbridge-armory-plan-fell-apart-again-the-bronx-deserves-better-next-time/. Accessed 28 October 2023.

Dolnick, Sam. “City Council Rejects Plan to Turn Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx Into a Mall.” The New York Times, 14 December 2009, https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/nyregion/15armory.html. Accessed 28 October 2023.

Dolnick, Sam. “City Council Overrides Bloomberg Veto on Kingsbridge Armory.” The New York Times, 21 December 2009, https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/nyregion/22armory.html. Accessed 28 October 2023.

New York City Mayor’s Office for Environmental Coordination. “Kingsbridge Armory National Ice Center – 13DME013X.” NYC.gov, https://www.nyc.gov/site/oec/environmental-quality-review/13DME013X.page. Accessed 28 October 2023.

“School Utilization and Overcrowding.” Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, 2019, https://data.cccnewyork.org/data/map/76/school-utilization-and-overcrowding#76/243/5/118/62/a/a. Accessed 28 October 2023.

NYC Mayor’s Press Office. “Press Release Archives #025-2000 – Announces Plans for Entertainment Center and Sports Complex at Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx.” NYC.gov, 20 January 2000, https://www.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2000a/pr025-00.html. Accessed 28 October 2023.

“NYCEDC, Elected Officials, and Community Members Announce Visioning Process for the Redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory | NYCEDC.” New York City Economic Development Corporation, 1 November 2022, https://edc.nyc/press-release/nycedc-elected-officials-community-members-announce-visioning-process-kingsbridge-armory. Accessed 28 October 2023.

“NYCEDC Issues Request for Proposals (RFP) for Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment | NYCEDC.” New York City Economic Development Corporation, 25 September 2023, https://edc.nyc/press-release/nycedc-issues-request-proposals-rfp-kingsbridge-armory-redevelopment. Accessed 28 October 2023.

New York City Department of City Planning-Transportation. Tableau, 24 November 2022, https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/dcptransportation/viz/ACSProfiles/Dashboard1. Accessed 28 October 2023.