Affordable Housing, Community Space, And A Sport Facility Is Coming To The Bedford Union Armory
Good news: the Bedford Union Armory in Crown Heights — just south of the border with Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy — will be transformed into affordable housing, community and office space, a multi-sport recreational facility, and commercial space that will be open to the public. This is counter to previous suggestions for the space, which have included pitches for a homeless shelter and other uses unpopular with the surrounding communities.
“Activating the Bedford Union Armory has been a labor of love, a truly community-driven process where [residents] have ensured their voices were heard,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who cheered the dual successes of creating over 150 “critically-needed affordable housing units in the heart of Central Brooklyn” while also triggering an “economic engine of opportunity [and] beacon for the advancement of healthy living.”
Over 300 apartments will be created in total, half of which will be designated affordable at a rate yet-to-be-determined.
Creation of the multi-sports facility will have help from the Carmelo Anthony Foundation — founded by its namesake New York Knicks basketball star — which will help outfit everything from basketball courts and a swimming pool to an indoor turf field. Anthony lived from toddlerhood to age 8 in the Red Hook Houses. Local nonprofit CAMBA will also be helping with both recreational and community programming.
“This project hits close to home for me,” said Anthony. “We have a deep history in Brooklyn and I’m thankful to be able to give back by helping to offer more affordable housing and a community center in this neighborhood.”
Joanne M. Oplustil, president and CEO of CAMBA, added that “these spectacular new facilities will enable [us] to create new recreational and educational programs to benefit the whole community.”
The massive renovation will be undertaken by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Bedford Courts — a new partnership between developers Slate Property Group and BFC Partners.
According to a statement from Adams’ office:
The Bedford Union Armory project was developed in response to feedback from local elected officials and the community after a comprehensive outreach campaign to solicit public input on the redevelopment. NYCEDC and local elected officials co-hosted group discussions with local community leaders from 23 organizations and conducted two public meetings in October 2014 with nearly 250 community members in attendance. Following these meetings, NYCEDC negotiated with RFP respondents so that projects more closely reflected community input.
“I feel that we will be getting all that we asked for,” said Councilmember Laurie Cumbo. “I want to thank the entire EDC team for working with the community and elected officials on this dynamic endeavor.”