Bronx Churches: Armory Must Benefit Residents
Several church organizations say they hope to see a “God-sized vision” for the Kingsbridge Armory that caters to the needs of Bronx residents.
The Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) held a rally on the two development proposals for the armory on October 17 at the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in University Heights. They gathered to ask that the developers follow a list of requirements that would favor the residents and businesses of the surrounding community. “We need to have a building with a new roof to serve the common good,” said New Day Church Pastor Doug Cunningham. “We have fought 17 years for the Armory to serve the common good!”
The first of the two proposals presented to attendees was Mercado Mirabo, a multi-purpose center that would include a movie theater, a marketplace and an athletic complex with what developers call “the largest rock climbing wall in the city.”
Young Woo, the developer of the proposed market, said he made sure to follow Bronxites’ demands. “We are not intent on competing against Fordham Road. We are not intent on displacing the small businesses here. We want to allow people to follow their vision, while taking the legal hassles out of it,” he said, referring to a proposed business incubator in the marketplace, which would allow residents to start their own businesses.
The first thing NWBCCC had on its list was to support the creation of a “high-quality” school on the northern side of the Armory, on West 195th Street. Sistas and Brothas United (SBU) member Xiomara Vasquez, 13, said that she hopes the school and the incubator would improve conditions for her and the surrounding Bedford Park community. “SBU is my second home,” Vasquez said. “There needs to be more programs like this, with college access and personal enrichments [such as sports and art]. I live five blocks away in Bedford Park. Whatever happens in the Armory affects me.”
NWBCCC made the point that little public money would be used in the Mercado project. “We are not seeking any public tax dollars,” Young Woo said. “We are using three times more money than KNIC,” he said, referring to the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, which is proposing an ice hockey rink at the Armory. KNIC representatives were not at the event.
While many in the audience booed at the mere mention of KNIC, two physical education teachers from Walton High School said the proposed ice hockey rink would improve opportunities for students. “If Fordham and Columbia have hockey teams, why can’t Lehman [College]?” Brian Boggan and Jason Norman said. “Lehman could be the first CUNY school to have a hockey team. They could compete against Fordham and Columbia.” They also said they hope the proposed rink would provide time for local students and residents to skate, to prevent a redux of Riverbank Park, where most of the ice skating time is dedicated to private school hockey teams.
This was not the first meeting, nor will it be the last. “I don’t think there are too many times to gather together and ask questions [about the Armory],” Alice McIntosh said. “We can set a precedent on how future development is done in New York City.”