FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2025
CONTACTS:
Jennifer McPartland for Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition, nwbccc@rubenstein.com
John DeSio for 8th Regiment Partners 917-656-5972/john@heller.inc
Nico Aguilar for NYCEDC/naguilar@edc.nyc
Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition, 8th Regiment Partners, NYCEDC Announce Historic Agreement in Kingsbridge Armory Development Project
Collaborative Agreement Secures Up to 125,000 Square Feet for Community Ownership and Other Priorities from Extensive Public Visioning Process
THE BRONX (June 3, 2025) – Local community and economic development organization Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) and 8th Regiment Partners, the developer selected by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to lead the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory, have announced an unprecedented collaborative agreement for the transformative overhaul of the historic landmark. The agreement comes after months of good-faith negotiations with the development team, underscoring a key commitment of the “Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan” to maximize community ownership. With the launch of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) earlier this month, the project is now advancing through the public approval process that will enable the transformation of this long underutilized site into a vibrant public asset.
The details of the agreement were unveiled at a press conference and rally outside of the Kingsbridge Armory on Tuesday, June 3. Community members, elected officials, labor leaders, and others came together prior to the Bronx Community Board #7 Land Use Committee hearing to officially announce the details of the new agreement and show unity prior to that event.
Aligning with long-term community interests, the resulting agreement between NWBCCC and 8th Regiment Partners includes unprecedented elements in a City-owned project, such as:
Two long-term subleased community-owned condos will be developed, comprising over 20 percent of the total site footprint, for community use. One condo will serve as a 25,000-square-foot community hub, providing space for community activities, workforce development, entrepreneurship and worker cooperative business development. The other condo will offer up to 100,000 square feet for affordable light manufacturing, aimed at accommodating Bronx-based businesses that have been displaced from the borough;
Through a Master Condo Association, these community-owned portions of the project will help govern major operational and strategic decisions;
Up to 20,000 square feet of affordable commercial space will be set aside for small and local businesses during the housing phase of the development, focusing on vulnerable businesses along the Kingsbridge corridor; and
In addition to the required Project Labor Agreement with NYC building trades, there is a commitment to encourage neutrality agreements that ensure quality, family-sustaining jobs and protect workers’ rights to organize across the site.
The agreement commits to maintaining high environmental standards and emphasizes community ownership by establishing a Community Council, co-convened by NWBCCC. This council will provide ongoing input on tenant mix, programming, and additional strategies for community investment. Additionally, a Community Benefit Fund, funded through project revenue and governed by the Community Council, will support long-term local investments in initiatives aimed at wealth-building and community ownership. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between NWBCCC and 8th Regiment Partners, a joint venture of Maddd Equities and Joy Construction.
The final agreement reflects core priorities, including community ownership and governance, identified through the comprehensive public visioning process co-led by NWBCCC in partnership with Council Member Pierina Sanchez and NYCEDC. Over 4,000 Bronxites shared their vision for the future of the Kingsbridge Armory through surveys, workshops, visioning sessions and community meetings. Residents of all generations and backgrounds collectively identified the principles and values that matter most in creating a new economic engine for the Bronx.
“This agreement marks a transformative shift in how development can and should happen in our communities. For decades, Bronx residents have organized for a say in the future of the Kingsbridge Armory. We’re proud to have secured a model that reflects what the community has always called for: shared governance, community ownership and real investment in our people,” said Sandra Lobo, Executive Director of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition. “Through community-owned condos, democratic decision-making and a structure for long-term investment in local businesses and workers, this agreement begins to fulfill our collective vision of building a more just, resilient and self-determined Bronx.”
“This milestone agreement reflects the power of community leadership, with support from mission-aligned partners and funders who share NWBCCC’s belief that communities are the experts of their own experience and must lead in shaping their future,” Lobo continued. “East Freedman & Main, Barretto Bay Strategies, Kyanite Partners, and many others played critical roles in supporting our planning, development and advancement of a vision rooted in equity, ownership and long-term community governance.”
“From the outset of envisioning the transformative redevelopment of this historic structure, our development team has made it crystal clear that we understand the value of having strong community partnerships,” said Gabriella Sottile, Principal, Maddd Equities on behalf of 8th Regiment Partners. “This MOU is a historic document that outlines exactly how our team will work together with the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition to bring the Kingsbridge Armory to life, for the betterment of this neighborhood and the Bronx. We look forward to having the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition not only as a long-term tenant but a key partner in this project for years to come.”
“This is a historic agreement between 8th Regiment Partners and NWBCCC – epitomizing the community-led process to transform the long under-utilized Kingsbridge Armory into a mixed-use development that will bring good-paying jobs, housing, recreation, and cultural programming to the Bronx,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Andrew Kimball. “NWBCCC has been instrumental in the redevelopment efforts, including as Co-Chair of the Community Working Group and the Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan and we are thrilled to be continuing this partnership as we bring this project to fruition and deliver on promises made to the Bronx."
“With today’s historic announcement of a partnership between 8th Regiment and the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, we are taking a major step toward redeveloping an incredible community asset—one with potential to deliver transformative and inclusive economic growth,” said NYC Council Member Pierina Sanchez, who co-chaired the Together for Kingsbridge Community Visioning Process. “This partnership reflects the values and priorities laid out by thousands of Bronxites in the Together for Kingsbridge Community Vision Plan, which called for a project that delivers good-paying union jobs, space for youth and families, and economic development rooted in our neighborhoods. It also brings us closer than ever to a long-standing demand from our neighbors: that the Armory’s redevelopment reflects true community ownership. As the project moves through ULURP, I will continue to evaluate the proposal with the rigor it deserves, guided by the Vision Plan, ongoing public input, and my steadfast commitment to maximize community benefits for the people of the Bronx. This is our once-in-a-generation chance to get this right—and we must.”
“Congratulations to the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC), the 8th Regiment Partners, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on successfully executing this latest agreement of key priorities that will guide redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory, bringing this project one step closer to completion,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat. “We look forward to soon celebrating the redevelopment and the impact this historic landmark will have throughout our community.”
“From the very beginning, we have been steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that the reimagining of the Kingsbridge Armory is community-led, community-driven, and community-focused. The transformation of this historic castle in the heart of the West Bronx is more than a redevelopment project; it’s a once-in-a-generation opportunity to spark economic growth, empower our neighborhoods, and deliver on a promise of equity and opportunity. I want to congratulate 8th Regiment and the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition on this historic agreement, as well as NBCCC`s collaboration with Council Member Pierina Sanchez in creating the Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan. This visionary blueprint will help guide the creation of good-paying union jobs, recreational space for our youth, and workspaces for new and emerging businesses. Our borough is on the verge of experiencing an incredible renaissance, and I know the Kingsbridge Armory will be a powerful engine driving that transformation,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.
“I want to congratulate NWBCCC on the agreement reached with the Kingsbridge Armory's new developer, 8th Regiment Partners LLC. It is encouraging that a historic organizing force from our community will have a seat at the table in the Armory's transformation process. Our community's aspirations, needs, and concerns about this development must be thoroughly reflected in a legally binding Community Benefits Agreement that includes enforceable anti-displacement measures to protect small businesses and clear frameworks for community ownership and revenue-sharing mechanisms to directly benefit local residents. We cannot afford to repeat past mistakes and I am confident that NWBCCC’s direct involvement in this project will ensure we move forward in the right direction,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera.
“It’s good news—and the right move—to hear that NWBCCC will be included in the project to transform the Kingsbridge Armory. NWBCCC has been at the heart of every conversation—listening, organizing, and showing up for Bronx residents on the ground. Their leadership is exactly what’s needed to ensure this development delivers real justice, real investment, and real results for the people of the Bronx,” said State Senator Robert Jackson.
“As the Assembly Member representing this vibrant and resilient community, I stand with the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition and the thousands of Bronx residents who have worked tirelessly to shape a shared vision for the Kingsbridge Armory. The Armory is more than just a building; it is a symbol of possibility. This project must reflect the voices of the people who call this borough home. I fully support a redevelopment that prioritizes community ownership, inclusive economic growth, and long-term opportunity for our small businesses, youth, and families. Together, we can ensure that the future of the Armory is a future built by and for the Bronx,” said Assembly Member George Alvarez.
8th Regiment Partners has put forward a vision to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory into a thriving, community-centered hub that delivers economic opportunity, social infrastructure, and cultural vitality for Bronx residents. Guided by the “Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan”, the first phase will consist of a mixed-use development with a state-of-the-art venue space and entertainment uses, sports fields, cultural and commercial space, light industrial manufacturing space, an educational facility focused on workforce development, and over 25,000 square feet of dedicated community space. Phase two includes approximately 450 units of permanently affordable rental housing adjacent to the Armory.
“The Barretto Bay Strategies team is beyond thrilled at this outcome and proud of our work with NWBCCC, East Freedman & Main, and all the other partners and supporters of the Northwest Bronx vision for an equitable, sustainable, and community-owned Kingsbridge Armory,” said Paul Lipson, Principal, Barretto Bay Strategies. “Our work in the borough spans nearly 4 decades and this is truly the first large-scale project in memory with community ownership embedded in its DNA and homegrown enterprise at its beating heart. While there will undoubtedly be obstacles and tribulations ahead, the work going forward will be sustained and fortified by NWBCCC’s crystal clear vision, firm and enduring values, and strong, hard-won partnerships.”
“Congratulations to NWBCCC on this historic milestone. As owner’s representatives, we are thrilled to support the leadership team, board of directors, and Armory Steering Committee in translating their values into a project that reimagines a future for their community and redefines what’s possible for communities not just in New York City but across the country. The clarity of purpose and unwavering commitment to a true community mandate were evident at every step. We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us and the incredible team assembled to bring this vision to life in Kingsbridge,” said Elisse Douglass, CEO, East Freedman & Main.
“The Kingsbridge Heights Community Center. Inc. (KHCC) is proud to have helped shape the Together for Kingsbridge vision, a bold, community-driven plan to reimagine the historic Kingsbridge Armory. We’re thrilled to partner with 8th Regiment Partners, Council Member Pierina Sanchez, Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and our fellow Bronx leaders to bring our expanding youth, family, workforce, and community development programs to El Centro Kingsbridge—creating a vibrant hub of opportunity, advancement and empowerment for generations to come,” said Raye Barbieri, Chief Executive Officer, Kingsbridge Heights Community Center.
“El Centro Kingsbridge represents a transformative opportunity for the Bronx, bringing much-needed economic growth, cultural vitality, and community resources to our residents. Dominicanos USA is proud to support this visionary project that prioritizes local jobs, affordable housing, and vibrant community spaces,” said Eddie Cuesta, Executive Director, Dominicanos USA (DUSA).
The Kingsbridge Armory redevelopment is backed by a $200 million investment by Mayor Adams and Governor Hochul, $2 million from Borough President Gibson, $12 million from Council Member Sanchez, and a $1.05 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with the support of Representative Espaillat. The construction will be executed under a project labor agreement, ensuring fair wages and benefits for construction workers. 8th Regiment Partners’ proposal was selected after a rigorous request for proposal process that was informed by a nine-month public engagement process with over 4,000 community members, which produced the “Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan.”
The Kingsbridge Armory opened in 1917 and was used by the United States military until 1994 before reverting to city ownership in 1996. The armory was designated as a New York City Landmark in 1974 and placed on the National Register for Historic Places list in 1982.
8th Regiment Partners aims to break ground in 2026.
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About NWBCCC
Founded in 1974, the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition is a 5,000+ member-led, grassroots organization that unites diverse peoples and institutions to fight racial justice and economic democracy through intergenerational community organizing to transform the Bronx and beyond. Our vision prioritizes the dignity of labor and diversity of traditions to create a community in which the well-being of all its diverse members is the most important factor in decision-making. We build power for the Bronx through community organizing, economic development, policy advocacy, leadership development, and support services that foster community ownership of assets, collective governance of institutions, and transforming the systems that impact our lives. To learn more, please visit northwestbronx.org.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn LinkedIn, and Instagram.
