City and state select team to transform historic Kingsbridge Armory into community hub with 450 affordable homes
Credit: FXCollaborative
A historic and long-vacant Bronx armory will be transformed into a state-of-the-art community hub with affordable apartments. City and state officials announced Tuesday the development team that will redevelop the century-old Kingsbridge Armory as an event space, sports field, cultural center, and 450 new affordable homes. Developed by 8th Regiment Partners LLC, a joint venture between real estate firm Maddd Equities LLC and Joy Construction, the project, dubbed El Centro Kingsbridge, is scheduled for completion in 2032.
Following a competitive selection process, officials chose 8th Regiment Partners LLC to spearhead the project. The winning proposal includes a two-phase plan featuring a diverse mix of uses serving both the local community and the broader region. Programming will center on the 180,000-square-foot Drill Hall within the armory.
“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,” Adams said. “In just one location, we’re delivering affordable housing for our neighbors, sports fields for our children, community spaces for our families, and so much more.”
Adams continued: “The future of the Bronx rests in the Kingsbridge Armory, a proposal made possible thanks to the partnership of Governor Hochul, Representative Espaillat, and the countless, everyday New Yorkers who made their voices heard. Together, we are building a brighter, better future for the Bronx, starting with the Kingsbridge Armory.”
Designed by architect Lewis Pilcher in 1917, the Kingsbridge Armory has more than 570,000 square feet of floor space, making it the world’s largest armory. The property was used by the U.S. military until 1994 and the city took over ownership of the building in 1996.
The armory was designated as a city historic landmark in 1974 and listed on the National Register for Historic Places in 1982. During the pandemic, the armory served as a temporary food distribution center, and in 2022, was used by local officials to store supplies for residents impacted by the Twin Park North fire.
The city had previously issued two RFPs that failed to advance, with the most recent plan calling for the world’s biggest ice-skating facility. Those plans fell through in 2016 when the project’s developers failed to meet financing deadlines, according to BronxTimes.
Last September, Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a new request for proposals to transform the historic, largely underutilized site into a project aimed at boosting economic opportunities in the Bronx.
The RFP followed the release of the “Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan,” which laid out the project goals envisioned by the community and local stakeholders. Through an extensive public engagement process, the city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) collected feedback from over 4,000 participants, 950 survey responses, nine community board meetings, 16 small group discussions, and conversations with roughly 75 stakeholders.
Participants included local elected officials, representatives from community organizations, nearby schools and colleges, healthcare providers, merchant associations, and labor groups.
Officials last year put the project cost at roughly $500 million, with $200 million pledged by Adams and Hochul, $2 million from Borough President Vanessa Gibson, $12 million from Council Member Pierina Sanchez, and a $1.05 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“We are excited for this opportunity to work with all of our government partners to transform this incredible, landmarked space into a thriving center of economic activity for the community, the borough, and the City of New York,” Gabriella Madruga, principal, Maddd Equities on behalf of 8th Regiment Partners, said.
“This is a wonderful example of a public-private partnership that will revitalize one of the most unique and historical buildings in New York. We are humbled to be the stewards of a property and a project that will leverage New York’s rich historical past to create an exciting and dynamic future.”
The project is expected to generate almost $2.6 billion in economic impact over the next three decades while creating more than 3,000 construction jobs and 360 permanent jobs.
An environmental review is slated to begin this winter, and the uniform land-use review procedure is expected to commence in mid-2025.
Construction is expected to start in 2027 and finish by 2032, as first reported by The City.
RELATED:
