{"id":171,"date":"2025-10-29T21:44:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T21:44:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/pierina-ana-sanchez\/?p=171"},"modified":"2025-12-05T23:11:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T23:11:36","slug":"council-member-sanchez-delivers-promise-to-kingsbridge-armory-with-a-yes-vote-for-2-6-billion-economic-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/council.nyc.gov\/pierina-ana-sanchez\/2025\/10\/29\/council-member-sanchez-delivers-promise-to-kingsbridge-armory-with-a-yes-vote-for-2-6-billion-economic-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"S\u00e1nchez Delivers for the Bronx: Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment to Bring Nearly $3 Billion in Economic Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

New York, NY:<\/strong> On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, NYC Council Member Pierina Sanchez, and the City Council, celebrated the NYC Council\u2019s vote to approve a transformational redevelopment proposal and  500 units of affordable housing for the Kingsbridge Armory and neighborhood \u2014 one that is equitable, aligned with local needs, and accountable to the community for current and future generations to come.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s vote was grounded in $215 million in public investments committed in the onset of this process, a historic Community Benefits Agreement valued at $130 million between the selected developer and more than 30 local organizations\u2014including a first source hiring policy that requires an exclusive 30-day hiring period for Bronxites, and robust enforcement mechanisms\u2014and an estimated $30M of additional neighborhood investment from the City of New York.<\/p>\n

BACKGROUND<\/strong> <\/p>\n

After 30 years of vacancy and multiple failed redevelopment attempts, the NYC Council has voted to advance the proposed plan set forth by New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), 8th Regiment Partners, and the Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition\u2014backed by more than $375 million in city, state, federal and private funding. <\/p>\n

Building upon decades of community organizing, the transformative effort began in 2022, when the Community Working Group\u2014composed of local businesses, organizations, leaders, and elected officials\u2014engaged more than 4,000 community members through 20 public events and 900 survey responses over nine months. Their efforts culminated in the creation of the Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan.<\/em> This north star made the community\u2019s goals clear: prioritize youth, uplift older adults, foster intergenerational relationships, create jobs and wealth for local workers, grow a regenerative, Bronx-centered economy, and maximize community ownership. <\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, today\u2019s vote is deeply personal. Having grown up in the shadows of the Kingsbridge Armory, I know what this structure represents: the immense potential of our community, decades of disinvestment, and now the promise of a better future for our people and the Bronx,\u201d said NYC Council Member Pierina Sanchez, District 14. <\/strong>\u201cFrom the start, I have been deeply involved in ensuring this process was community-driven\u2014facilitating countless discussions and convenings among elected officials, city agencies, the developer, and a broad range of local stakeholders; providing testimony at every hearing throughout the public review process; and ensuring that our community\u2019s priorities remained at the center all the way through to the final vote,\u201d<\/em> she continued. <\/strong>\u201cToo often, communities like ours are left behind. A redevelopment project of this scale is exceedingly rare in my district; so when the opportunity arises, it is critical that we stay true to what our people have long been asking for\u2014and deserve. Together, we have won a project that will deliver what I know is possible in the West Bronx: a future on our terms. I could not be more proud.\u201d <\/p>\n

HISTORY<\/strong><\/p>\n

From serving as a training facility for soldiers during the World Wars, to being a key site for Hip Hop culture since the 1970s, to its role as a rapid response center at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bronxites have always known the incredible potential of the Kingsbridge Armory.<\/p>\n

The Amory\u2019s beginnings date back to 1786, with a lineage of units from the New York State militia\u2019s 8th<\/sup> Regiment. Flash forward to its designation as a city landmark in 1974, and the Amory began to transition from its role as an operations base for the U.S. military and become a beacon of hope for its neighboring community. The Armory briefly became a homeless shelter in the 1980s, beginning to make a direct impact and answer the needs of the community. Themes of community engagement would follow, as redevelopment plans would be introduced in the 1990s. After decades of ideas, plans, and support from Kingsbridge neighbors, community groups, and elected officials, today, the NYC Council has voted for a transformative proposal to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s approval from the New York City Council is a significant step forward in the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory, paving the way for the tremendous positive impact this project will have on residents who call the Bronx home,\u201d said Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). <\/strong>\u201cI am appreciative to Councilmember Sanchez and commend all elected officials involved in the project for their collective efforts to support the restoration of this iconic landmark. I look forward to the future benefits and opportunities it will bring to the community and overall to the city of New York.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a historic day for the community-led development, community ownership, and the future of the Kingsbridge Armory. I want to thank Councilmember Pierina Sanchez for fighting for everything our borough deserves and winning more than what we\u2019re used to getting. Thank you to our community members for fighting for an Armory by us and for us and to the Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition for holding all of us accountable to ensure that what\u2019s built in the Armory belongs to us. The new developer 8th Regiment Partners LLC has a mandate after showing every other developer that community-centered projects are feasible. Because of my fellow community leaders, the next generation of Bronxites won\u2019t experience a vacant castle but a vibrant space,\u201d said State Senator Gustavo Rivera.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Kingsbridge Armory has long stood as a monument to both our borough\u2019s resilience and its neglect \u2014 a fortress of possibility waiting to be reclaimed by the people it was built to serve. Today\u2019s vote transforms that possibility into purpose. This is what community-led development looks like when government listens, collaborates, and legislates with equity at its core. Bronx voices shaped this vision, and Bronx hands will build its future \u2014 not for profit\u2019s sake, but for the promise of shared prosperity,\u201d said State Senator Robert Jackson<\/strong> <\/p>\n

“The Council is proud to have approved the redevelopment of Kingsbridge Armory, so the historic site can better serve the Bronx community for generations to come,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams.<\/strong> “The redevelopment will bring 500 permanently affordable homes and new opportunities to the Bronx, including a community facility and cultural space, office space, and a 17,000-person live event venue. I applaud Council Member Pierina Sanchez for her leadership to break through the decades-long challenges to redevelop this site and deliver major investments for the Bronx.”<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Kingsbridge Armory has long stood as a symbol of untapped potential in our borough. This redevelopment finally turns that potential into opportunity – driven by community input from more than 4,000 Bronx residents to ensure good jobs, affordable housing, youth programs, and small-business growth are at its core. We secured commitments to local hiring, union wages, and protections for long-standing small businesses – because redevelopment that uplifts, not displaces, is true progress,\u201d said Majority Leader Amanda Far\u00edas. <\/strong>\u201cThis would not have been possible without the steadfast leadership of Council Member Pierina S\u00e1nchez. I\u2019m proud to have worked alongside her as Chair to make this a success for the Bronx, and I look forward to seeing this project deliver for our community for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am proud to join my Council colleagues in voting YES to transform the Kingsbridge Armory into a state-of-the-art hub, with over 25,000 square feet dedicated to serving the Kingsbridge community. This redevelopment will create new opportunities for residents to access business, entertainment, housing, and community resources. By bringing more people to the Bronx, activating commercial and event spaces, and supporting local businesses, the project is critical to driving economic growth, creating jobs, and strengthening the borough as a center for commerce and culture. I look forward to seeing this project completed over the next seven years, and I want to congratulate Council Member Sanchez for championing this effort, as well as my Bronx Delegation colleagues and Borough President Gibson for uniting to fight for the betterment of our borough,\u201d said NYC Council Member Eric Dinowitz.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWith the reimagining of the Kingsbridge Armory, we will see affordable housing opportunities, good-paying union jobs with pathways to the middle class, recreational space for youth and families, support for small businesses, and a true commitment to equitable economic development in the Bronx that we have not seen for decades,\u201d said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. <\/strong>\u201cThank you to NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Majority Leader Amanda Far\u00edas, Council Member Pierina Sanchez, the members of the Bronx Delegation, and the entire New York City Council for today\u2019s vote to move this transformative plan forward. I also want to express my gratitude to Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, 8th Regiment Partners, and the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition for their partnership and continued support in advancing this historic project. The redevelopment of this landmark in the heart of the Northwest Bronx stands as a testament to our shared commitment to driving unprecedented investment back into our borough, while fulfilling the blueprint outlined in the Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

ACHIEVEMENTS<\/strong> <\/p>\n

The proposal approved today by the NYC Council will deliver $375 million in investments in the West Bronx from the city, state, and federal level, including a historic $130 community benefits agreement rooted in community ownership, a robust programmatic plan for El Community Kingsbridge, and a continued robust community engagement process that will continue into implementation. <\/p>\n

DETAILS ON $375M IN INVESTMENTS, $2.6B ECONOMIC IMPACT<\/strong> <\/p>\n

I. Public Investment in the West Bronx ($245M+)<\/strong> <\/p>\n