by Michelle Mullen
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson was sworn in for a second term on Feb 1., using her inaugural address to reflect on her first four years in office and look ahead to the next.
Speaking before a packed audience at Lehman College, she framed the moment as both a continuation and a reset of the priorities that guided her first term — namely education, economic growth, housing and public safety.
“Last year, our blueprint was securing the Bronx and protecting our future with a clear focus on ensuring that the Bronx would strive and thrive,” Gibson said. “This year, our blueprint is the Bronx leads, which is an affirmation and it’s a call to action.”
Gibson reflected on her administration allocating tens of millions of dollars to education during her first term, supporting public schools and facilities across the borough.
“We have already fully funded the renovations of high school athletic fields so our student athletes can have a safe and dignified space to compete and participate in recreational activities,” Gibson said.
Those investments included capital funding approved last year for upgrades to facilities in greater Riverdale. Among them was the John F. Kennedy High School campus, where a long-neglected athletic complex was transformed into a modern facility with new turf lighting and state-of-the-art digital scoreboards.
Designed to serve both students and the larger community, the upgrades addressed long-standing safety hazards, reflecting her administration’s view of school infrastructure as shared neighborhood space.
Gibson’s focus on education investments will continue to extend beyond K-12 schools, pointing to a $6 million capital commitment to Lehman College in her second term, which is slated to fund renovations to campus fields that are shared with multiple nearby high schools. The project is intended to provide safer facilities for students while strengthening connections between secondary schools and higher education institutions.
Economic development was another cornerstone of Gibson’s address, including the long-awaited redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory, which has sat vacant for decades. The massive structure is finally poised for transformation into a mixed-use complex that includes affordable housing, recreational space and job opportunities.
“After years of being underutilized, this iconic structure, this castle will soon be a beacon of hope and opportunity for our youth and families,” she said, pointing to plans for union jobs, community space and pathways to the middle class.
In expanding her vision for making the Bronx a tourist destination, Gibson emphasized the role of cultural institutions, pointing to destinations such as the New York Botanical Garden and Wave Hill.
Housing affordability and public safety also remain a central focus in Gibson’s vision for the borough’s next chapter. She acknowledged that while new housing construction has surged, many residents continue to face rising rents and housing insecurity.
“Our borough is leading in new housing development,” Gibson said, “but we must also lead in expanding access and opportunities for our Bronx tenants and our home owners.”
Public safety, Gibson said, remains foundational to the borough’s future.
“Public safety is essential and fundamental to our work in the Bronx,” Gibson said. “We cannot be a successful borough if we are not a safe borough, and if residents do not feel safe in their own neighborhoods.”
She cited investments made during her first term in crime deterrence and quality-of-life enforcement, including funding for NYPD Argus security cameras, mobile command units and sanitation initiatives aimed at reducing illegal dumping and keeping streets clean and safe.
“During these past four years, we have accomplished so much together,” Gibson said. “In this next chapter, we will continue to deliver real results for our borough. The time is now.”
Gibson first took office in January 2022 after serving in the New York City Council and the New York State Assembly.