Four generations of my family were born in The Bronx. The Kingsbridge Armory on Kingsbridge Road by Jerome Avenue has been a vacant space for all of my existence and now I’m working alongside many others to change that, to make that 500,000-square-foot landmark serve the community and the entire Bronx.

 

We want the space to be for businesses and jobs that benefit Bronxites, especially for young people to enjoy, learn and thrive in as many ways as possible. The Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) is continuing its three-decades-long campaign for equitable redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory.

 

This time, we have built unity with labor partners to ensure that this development not only delivers employment opportunities and meaningful space that supports our diverse community, but also creates union jobs and community ownership.

 

My support of the Armory aligns with the values of the NWBCCC. Community organizations and community-labor coalitions ensure we are creating solutions and opportunities for local Bronx residents. We believe the community and workers that will build, patronize, and ultimately sustain this project must share in the wealth it generates and make decisions together to invest back into the health and well-being of The Bronx and our region.

 

My aunt, a lifelong Bronx resident, who relishes the beauty of the borough, encouraged me to get involved with the Coalition. I did, and I passionately believe in its vision of creating a new, giant, and engaging space that will benefit my family and the entire community.

 

The City recently issued an unprecedented vision document with its Request for Proposals for potential developers, which is strongly connected to what the Coalition and community members worked torwards over the last 18 months. We strongly encourage every potential developer to adhere to that vision. Unlike previous Armory redevelopment failures by outside developers, the community’s vision is the only path forward that would lead to success.

 

If you’d like to get involved, visit https://www.northwestbronx.org/get-involved.

The Coalition’s “Our Armory” report can be read at: https://online.fliphtml5.com/mewzo/hhfq/#p=1.

New York City’s vision document for the Armory can be read here: https://edc.nyc/sites/default/files/2023-08/NYCEDC-Together-for-Kingsbridge-Vision-Plan-English.pdf.

 

Thorne Nugent is a Kingsbridge resident and a member of Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition, who is actively involved with its efforts vis-à-vis the Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment.

 

Editor’s Note: As reported, NYC Economic Development Corporation is accepting Requests for Proposals for the development of the Kingsbridge Armory in Kingsbridge Heights. The deadline to apply is Jan. 18, 2024, at 11.59 p.m. For more information, visit https://edc.nyc/kingsbridge-armory-redevelopment-rfp. As also reported, a rally was recently held in the vicinity of the armory in support of small businesses whose licenses are not being renewed it is understood in the context of the armory redevelopment.