by Michelle Mullen

After sitting vacant for more than three decades, the Kingsbridge Armory is finally on track for a full transformation.

The New York City Council voted unanimously on Oct. 29 to approve land-use changes required to advance the project.  It’s a milestone Bronx leaders crowned a landmark moment for community-led development and neighborhood investment.

Leading the effort was City Council Member Pierina Sanchez, who represents District 14, where the armory is located.

“For me, today’s vote is deeply personal,” she said in a statement. “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.”

Led by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, 8th Regiment Partners, and the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, the redevelopment plan will bring more than $375 million in combined city, state, federal and private investment.

“After thirty years of vacancy and four years of tireless work, we are finally transforming that potential into promise,” Sanchez said. “This project delivers a $130 million Community Benefits Agreement — one of the largest in city history — guaranteeing local hiring, union jobs, support for small businesses, cultural programming, and real community oversight.”

Once construction begins, the 600,000-square-foot redevelopment will include a 17,000-person live events venue, 95,000 square feet of community and cultural space, 100,000 square feet of light-manufacturing space for Bronx businesses, and about 500 permanently affordable apartments during the project’s second phase.

Developers and city officials say the plan will generate more than 3,000 construction jobs and 600 permanent jobs, with a focus on employing Bronx residents.

The Community Benefits Agreement also includes commitments to union labor, living wages, and environmental design standards such as rooftop solar, stormwater management and air-quality monitoring.

“This is a historic day for community-led development, community ownership, and the future of the Kingsbridge Armory,” said State Sen. Gustavo Rivera in a statement. “I am grateful to Council Member Pierina Sanchez for fighting for everything our borough deserves and winning more than what we’re used to getting.”

In a statement, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson called the Council vote a “testament to our shared commitment to driving unprecedented investment back into our borough.”

She later added “with 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.” 

The project follows years of organizing by community leaders and residents who helped craft the Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan, a blueprint developed through 20 public events and 900 survey responses.

Council Member Eric Dinowitz, who represents neighboring District 11, praised the redevelopment’s potential to benefit the wider Bronx community.

“This redevelopment will create new opportunities for residents to access business, entertainment, housing and community resources,” Dinowitz said. “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.”

The redevelopment is expected to begin construction in 2026 following mayoral review and final permitting. It comes after two previous failed redevelopment attempts — efforts that stalled in part due to community opposition and the absence of an enforceable benefits agreement.

This time, Sanchez said, the difference lies in accountability and collaboration. 

“This is a blueprint for equitable development, accountability, and opportunity — made by and for the people of this community,” she said.

For many in Kingsbridge, the unanimous vote represents more than just the revival of a building; it symbolizes a turning point for the borough’s economic future.

“Today, we have proven that possibility doesn’t just exist — it is created — by our collective hopes, our shared struggle, and our dreams for the future,” Sanchez said. “Our commitment doesn’t end here — now, we see this project through.”

Keywords

Kingsbridge Armory,

Bronx redevelopment,

Pierina Sanchez,

Community Benefits Agreement,

Bronx jobs,

affordable housing,

economic development