Though the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) was approved to occupy the Kingsbridge Armory in 2013, loose ends relating to the mammoth project were brought up during a hostile public meeting involving an approved loan for the enormous project.

In what was a barely publicized public hearing Jan. 14, residents and special interests groups testified before officials representing the Empire State Development (ESD) agency. The ESD’s Board of Directors had voted to approve a $30 million construction loan for the project, part of a larger $130 million project before the economic development agency.

The Board’s approval of the loan sparked questions over the logic of the public hearing, intended to provide an overview of the $348 million project while soliciting comments relating to the project. The comments would be “taken into consideration as part of the final approval of the proposed project” as the ESD’s present attorney, Michael Forte, explained, though he didn’t elaborate further.

“How do you approve a loan before the hearing, and then tell us, ‘Hey, we approved a portion of a loan, what you think about that?’” said Jay Espy, a leader of the People Power Movement, a group that’s spent the last three years pushing for an improved quality of life for Kingsbridge Height’s impoverished residents. “What kind of kangaroo court is this?”

The tone of the hearing veered from cordial to hostile, with activists coming to the forum with several agendas that intersected but not uniformly presented. The hearing brought to a boil simmering frustration towards KNIC, where developers were absent during the hearing. The last public meeting to be held relating to the project happened in April 2015. Since then, much activity relating to the project had taken place behind the scenes.

“The fact that there’s no one here representing the developer is indeed disappointing,” said Ivan Braun, a resident and member of the KNIC Community Advisory Council.

Braun was one of 26 signatories to a Community Benefits Agreement that KNIC had agreed to sign. Stipulations included at least 51 percent local hiring for Bronx residents, hiring of unionized labor force, the formation of the CAC, and an allocation of 50,000 square feet of community space.

“We look forward to the project going forward, and this loan being a part of that but only if, and in conjunction with the complete and full implementation of the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA),” said Braun.

Members of Community Board 7, the civic body that approved the project in 2013, were also absent from the hearing. The hearing took place at 3 p.m., a common criticism many argued made it impossible for community members to attend.

With so few community forums related to the Armory project, activists used the moment to lay out a progressive agenda, which was indirectly tied to the project. Since the start of the project, pegged as a driver of impending gentrification in Kingsbridge Heights, activists have demanded KNIC assist in keeping existing Kingsbridge Heights residents and merchants from getting evicted. Some of the more idealistic proposals laid out in agendas noted for the record included across-the-board affordable housing and an end to the NYPD’s stop, question and frisk policy.

But Evy Virnet, a member of the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), offered a more middle-ground resolution that involved embracing the project so long as gentrification “does not take over.”

“It’s gonna happen,” a spectator jumped in.

In the meantime, Espy is demanding developers organize another hearing utilizing his group’s “community-controlled agenda” prior to Feb. 14.

“If you love us, then you will meet with us,” said Espy

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.