"Hit The Ice" at the Kingsbridge Armory

  In a 48 - 1 vote the full City Council voted to approve the Kingsbridge National Ice Center proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory. Only Charles Barrons cast the lone dissenting vote against the KNIC proposal. Councilman Fernando Cabrera left his Mr. Hyde character at home as he was all smiles when he voted yes for the KNIC proposal after doing one about face after another leaving Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. puzzled as to what Councilman Cabrera was doing during the waning days before the final city council vote. 

  Diaz had the following statement about today's City Council Vote to approve the KNIC proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory.

 

  “After years of hard work and advocacy by elected officials, community organizations, our community board and the people of the Bronx, I am thrilled to see that the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory will finally become a reality.

“Today’s vote of the City Council represents the final hurdle cleared for the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC), a transformative project that will make the Bronx home to the nation’s largest ice sports center. KNIC will bring tens of thousands of new visitors to the borough, helping to stimulate our economy, while also creating hundreds of living wage jobs for Bronx residents.

“I am especially thankful for the support of our City Council and the entire Bronx City Council delegation, who understood the merits of the project and showed their strong support for it during today’s vote. The KNIC project will be good not just for the Northwest Bronx but for the entire borough, and the strong support of the entire Bronx delegation shows that to be true. I would also like to thank the developer, KNIC Partners, as well as Mark Messier and Sarah Hughes for their tireless advocacy on behalf of this wonderful project.

“This project is a victory for everyone involved, and represents the type of development we can see when everyone works together for the greater good. I look forward to this project’s completion, and the day when the Bronx can officially declare itself to be the premier ice sports destination in the United States, if not the nation,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

The Kingsbridge National Ice Center project was announced as the City’s official choice for the Kingsbridge Armory at a press conference in April 2013, which was attended by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Borough President Diaz, Council Member Fernando Cabrera, KNIC Partners LLC Founder Kevin Parker, New York Rangers hockey legend Mark Messier, Olympic Figure Skating Gold Medalist Sarah Hughes, then New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky and then Community Board #7 Chairman Paul Foster.

The original press release announcing the project can be read here: http://on.nyc.gov/ZGheD1. Full video of that event can be watched here: http://on.nyc.gov/18pwSTg.

Also in April, Kingsbridge National Ice Center Partners (KNIC) and the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA) signed a historic community benefits agreement (CBA) to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory into a facility committed to serving Bronx residents. That CBA represents a multi-million dollar benefit package for the local community.  

For the first time in the history of New York City, a developer has agreed to wall-to-wall living wage jobs for local workers, more than 50,000 square feet of community space, targeted local hiring, opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses, free ice time for local schools, local procurement, sustainable green development and operation, and a business incubator to facilitate wealth creation for local residents. KNIC also plans to create a foundation to establish free after-school ice sports and academic tutoring programs for disadvantaged youth. The program will be modeled after the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation in Philadelphia, which has seen considerable academic and athletic success with those students who participate.

DINOWITZ CALLS ON CABRERA, COUNCIL TO APPROVE ICE CENTER AT KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz

                                                                3107 Kingsbridge Avenue

                                         Bronx, New York 10463

                                                (718) 796-5345

                                                dinowitzj@assembly.state.ny.us

  Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz has called upon the New York City Council to approve the Kingsbridge National Ice Center proposed for the Kingsbridge Armory and urged Councilman Fernando Cabrera to vote for it.

“We have a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to bring an amazing and positive project into our community,” Dinowitz said. “KNIC will be a unique facility that will provide recreational and educational opportunities for thousands and thousands of people from the Bronx and beyond. It can spawn new businesses along Kingsbridge Road. It will provide hundreds of living wage jobs. And the community benefits agreement is a major plus as well.

‘While the armory is actually across the street from my district, the people who are most directly affected by the facility are in the Kingsbridge Heights section of my district. I look forward to this project becoming a reality and to the positive impact it will have on the surrounding community.” 

 

 

What's Up Fernando?

  Councilman Fernando Cabrera who was the lone holdout on the Kingsbridge National Ice Center Proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory before the Bronx Borough Board vote of November 21st where Councilman Cabrera said that he was voting yes on the KNIC proposal and going to encourage his fellow council members to vote yes when the matter comes before the City Council for a vote.

  Apparently that was then, because Crain's New York has reported that during the meeting of the City Council’s Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee today Councilman Fernando Cabrera was strongly critical of the KNIC proposal, and asked his council colleagues to vote against the proposal when it comes before the City Council Land Use Committee for a full council vote. 

  Cabrera with his on again off again support of the KNIC proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory started when Mayor Bloomberg introduced the KNIC proposal. Councilman Cabrera was all in favor of the project, but then as the Community Benefits Agreement package with KNIC was being formatted it is said that Cabrera made several demands for the CBA. The CBA was changed to add more members at Councilman Cabrera's request, but then it was announced that $100,000.00 a year (for the 99 year life of the CBA) was being requested to go to a non-profit organization reportedly under Cabrera's control. KNIC went public with the information, and Councilman Cabrera has been under scrutiny ever since the announcement.

  It was at the Bronx Borough Board vote that Cabrera had apparently ended his opposition by voting yes on the KNIC proposal, and said that he will encourage all of his colleagues in the council to vote yes on the proposal. Cabrera apparently has done another about face on the KNIC proposal at today's Sub committee meeting. It will be interesting to see which Fernando Cabrera shows up to the City Council Land Use meeting, and how Councilman Cabrera votes.

  

 Crain's writes that the Drama Still Continues for the Kingsbridge Armory.  The full Crain's article can be found here.

 

 

Kingsbridge Armory KNIC Proposal at the Finish Line

  The City Council’s Zoning and Franchises Committee heard testimony from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. today as to why the City Council should vote in favor of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center peoposal for the Kingsbridge Armory. Below is BP Diaz's testimony.

  Good morning, Chairperson Weprin and the members of the City Council’s Zoning and Franchises Subcommittee, I am Ruben Diaz Jr., Borough President of the Bronx. 

I am here today to offer my enthusiastic support for the Kingsbridge National Ice Center and the four ULURP applications, which when approved will facilitate construction of one of the most outstanding ice sports arenas in the world.  This project transforms an iconic yet vacant, landmark into a destination for thousands, and by so doing it will also revitalize an entire community and offer permanent living wage employment for Bronx residents. 

The key to the anticipated success of this project is that it represents the culmination of a comprehensive participatory process that included all those who have an interest in the future of the Kingsbridge Armory.  These parties include representatives of the surrounding community, the borough’s elected officials, the Mayor’s Office and the city’s Economic Development Corporation, as well as those associated with the Kingsbridge National Ice Center’s development team.   

I am pleased to highlight some supporting figures that substantiate my endorsement, such as an approximate $300 million dollar investment to restore and preserve an historic Bronx landmark, which entails the reconstruction of the entire drill hall floor;

The project will also pay its employees a living wage of $11.75 per hour without benefits, $10.00 per hour with benefits; which represents a great victory for this site, given where we started from. The redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory will create 170 full time equivalent permanent positions at the Armory, as well as 885 construction related jobs on site. In addition, the project is expected to create an additional 2,700 off-site jobs as a consequence of its development.

KNIC will generate 580,000 annual visits to the Armory, which in turn will generate new economic activity approximating $42 million annually.

My enthusiasm for this proposal and what it will offer the Bronx and our city is only surpassed by my support for the Community Benefits Agreement that has been achieved.  This agreement is historic, as it sets to paper benefits I believe establish a gold standard for all future projects that rely on the disposition and use of public sector assets.  Key components of this agreement include assurances that 51 percent of those working at the Armory will be Bronx residents, and that employers shall award 25 percent of the funds spent on employees performing construction, to Minority and Women/Owned Bronx businesses.

Beyond these stipulations, the developer has also pledged to provide an initial monetary contribution of $8 million, to be used towards developing and building out the 50,000 square feet of community facility space for an annual rent of $1.

In addition, $1 million dollars of ice time will be provided annually to local schools and community organizations. KNIC will also provide $250,000 for capital improvements of properties and local businesses,

I am also especially proud to note that this entire project will be environmentally sound, as a LEED Silver designation is being sought.

My administration is very proud of what the entire proposal represents.  It is a project that broadens the profile of the Bronx as a place where new ideas can become reality, where new approaches can bring about better results. 

So many people have worked so hard to bring this project to fruition. From elected officials, to the community board, to local organizations, to our non-profits, to the developer and everyone in between—what we are discussing today is the culmination of years, if not decades, of advocacy and effort to revitalize this magnificent structure. A vote in opposition to this project would be reprehensible.

In closing, I recommend approval of these applications and by so doing endorse the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory by the Kingsbridge National Ice Center.

  

Bronx Borough Board Meeting - Re Kingsbridge Armory Vote

  Today was the November Bronx Borough Board Meeting. There were three things on the agenda for today's meeting.

  Item #1 - A presentation by the Taxi & Limousine Commission in the new "Green Outer Boro Taxi"

This presentation was given as it has and will be at the local community board level. there were minimal questions as to which fare would be cheaper. The current flat fee or the new metered fare. Mr. Gordon of TLC Policy Affairs said that most likely it is the metered fare as most trips are short. Another question was the timing of how the new taxi's is going to be. 6,000 each year over the next three years, and 20 percent to be wheelchair accessible. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. commended the TLC on this new Green taxi program saying that he was one of many people who had input into the process.

  Item #2 - Was a presentation by Mr. Ricky Wong if the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs on Information and Tips for Holiday Season Shopping. Mr. Wong handed out a pamphlet with 10 points to know going over a few such as the Store Refund Policy, when a receipt has to be given, credit card limits, and to go to the DCA website at www.nyc.gov/consumers for more information. BP Diaz asked if the DCA handles the current Shop And Frisk issue in some stores, and was told that is handled by the Department of Human Rights. Councilman Oliver Koppell complimented DCA on the hand out, but said that while the outside of the hand out is in normal size print the inside is in much to small print for someone like him to read. Koppell joked that it was as big as the printing on the recent ballot on election day that was to small for most people to read.

  Item #3 - A vote by the Bronx Borough Board on the agreement between  the NYC Department of Economic Development and the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) for a 99 year lease of the Kingsbridge Armory as a hockey and Ice Skating Arena. 

  An overview presentation by Ernesto Padron of NYCDEC of the proposal led to a discussion of the benefits to not only the area of the Kingsbridge Armory, but the entire borough of the Bronx. Councilmen Andy King, Oliver Koppell and Fernando Cabrera were in attendance and each spoke on the proposal. BP Diaz spoke of his visits to Philadelphia where a similar program was started by a former professional hockey Player that has given minority children chances of learning how to ice skate and play ice hockey that they never had the opportunity to have. Diaz continued on how the children and their parents adhere to the rules, such as good grades, good attendance, and good behavior so the children can play on the ice. 

  Councilman Andy King thanked BP Diaz for his leadership in this project, and said that he use to go to the old ice skating Rink on Broadway in the Riverdale area in his youth. King added that he is a Knick fan no matter how you spell it. King said he was voting for the KNIC proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory.

  Councilman Oliver Koppell said that this is the most exciting proposal for the Bronx in his 40 years of elected office, and that while he is the neighboring district that he had wanted a sports complex to be places in the armory for many man y years. Koppell said that he would be voting yes on the proposal. 

  Councilman Fernando Cabrera was much more subdued in his comments by saying only that he would vote yes on this proposal today and encourage his fellow council members to vote yes when the proposal comes before the City Council as a final step to approval.Up to this point Councilman Cabrera was the lone holdout on the KNIC proposal.

Left - Councilman Cabrera and Community Board 8 Chair Robert Fanuzzi chat as Councilman Oliver watches in the background.

Right - Councilman Cabrera speaks and then quickly leaves after the vote is over.

 

Left & Right BP Diaz speaking about why this proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory should be approved. 

  Diaz would say after the vote by the Borough Board 

“Today’s vote will facilitate the construction of a world class skating, community and educational facility that will be the catalyst for positive redevelopment not just in the surrounding community, but across the borough,” said Borough President Diaz.

The 10-0 vote of the Bronx Borough Board included three City Council Members—Fernando Cabrera, G. Oliver Koppell and Andy King—who attended the meeting to offer their support for the project in person.

“The Kingsbridge National Ice Center promises to not only bring living wage jobs to the community, but also provide world class facilities that will benefit our youth here in the Bronx, the City of New York and the surrounding region. As I have said numerous times, this project is going to have a tremendous positive impact on not just the Northwest Bronx but the entire borough, and I am proud to support the development of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center,” said Borough President Diaz.

The Community Benefits Agreement has been signed by dozens of neighborhood organizations and community partners representing thousands of residents in the Northwest Bronx that support the project.

CPC UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY

 

  In a unanimous vote, the City Planning Commission today approved the Kingsbridge Armory ULURP application, moving the much-heralded Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) project one step closer to completion. The project now heads to the Bronx Borough Board and then to the City Council, where it will seek its final approvals before it reaches the mayor’s desk.

“This is an extremely important, transformative project that will not only reshape this historic structure, but will provide living wage jobs, recreation opportunities and community programming. This project will not just help revitalize the surrounding neighborhood, but will add to the borough’s new reputation as a sports mecca while advancing the concept of the ‘New Bronx.’ I look forward to its approval at the City Council,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Borough President Diaz added, “The KNIC Proposal will preserve a significant and irreplaceable architectural and engineering icon and landmark, which will now be saved for posterity. Developed for military use, the Armory will now become a cultural and recreational asset for our great borough and city in the near future.”

“Today’s vote will facilitate the construction of a world class skating, community and educational facility that will promote the Borough, produce many needed permanent jobs, teach the art of skating, promote the art of competitive ice hockey and be the catalyst for the rebirth of the Kingsbridge Heights section of the Bronx, the entire borough of the Bronx, the City as a whole and the entire region,” said Orlando Marin, Bronx Representative to the City Planning Commission.

“I am very pleased that the City Planning Commission has approved the Kingsbridge Armory proposal.  The project is enormously important for the Bronx and will transform the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood. I will be a vigorous advocate for prompt Council approval,” said City Council Member G. Oliver Koppell.

“I am incredibly pleased that the City Planning Commission has unanimously approved the Kingsbridge National Ice Center project. This decision brings us one step closer to transforming the Kingsbridge Armory into an important economic engine for the Kingsbridge community and the Bronx as a whole,” said Senator Gustavo Rivera. "I am proud that we have been able to move forward a deal that will revitalize a Bronx landmark while providing living wage jobs, community programs and economic development to the community I serve,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera.

“This unanimous vote by the City Planning Commission on the proposal of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) is great news for the Bronx and New York City.  I want to commend Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. for his leadership on this important initiative. The KNIC proposal will give the children of our borough and our city an amazing recreational outlet, bring numerous jobs for the people of the Bronx and revenue to the surrounding merchants in the area, and is deserving of such strong support,” said City Council Member Melissa Mark-Viverito.

“Community Board #7 is very happy that the NYC City Planning Commission has approved the Kingsbridge National Ice Center proposal and we look forward to the opening of this wonderful facility which will empower our community and its residents,” said Adaline Walker Santiago, Chairperson, Bronx Community Board #7.

"This is great news for Kingsbridge Heights and all of the Bronx. I have strongly supported the proposal by KNIC because it promises to not only bring living wage jobs to the community, but also provide world class facilities that will benefit young people from throughout the Bronx and beyond. I also believe that this project will revitalize the Kingsbridge Road shopping district and the entire community. Kudos to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. for his steadfast leadership, without which this project would not have been possible,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz.

“It’s exciting to know that the Bronx is one step closer to becoming home to the world’s largest indoor ice skating rink,” said Marlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation. “I believe that the Kingsbridge National Ice Center will attract numerous visitors from all over the world, which is always great business for the Bronx.”

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ ISSUES KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY ULURP

  As expected Bronx borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. has made his recommendation positive, of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory. Diaz came out early in support of the KNIC proposal, and all that had to be done was work out a community benefits agreement that was acceptable by all sides. 

 

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. today issued his office’s recommendations concerning the future of the Kingsbridge Armory. The recommendations come as part of the borough president’s charter mandated responsibilities in the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).

In his recommendations, Borough President Diaz reiterated his support for the project, noting that the Kingsbridge National Ice Center proposal will completely transform the unused structure into a hub of commercial and civic activity. The recommendations come on the heels of a public hearing on the project, which took place on Friday, September 20, and was hosted by Borough President Diaz as part of the ULURP process.

“The Kingsbridge National Ice Center is clearly the right choice for the Bronx. At every opportunity this proposal has been met with near unanimous support, and not one individual or group spoke against the project at my office’s public hearing. Support for the KNIC proposal is strong not just in the Northwest Bronx but in every corner of our borough, and I look forward to this project’s swift approval,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

In April, Kingsbridge National Ice Center Partners (KNIC) and the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA) signed a historic community benefits agreement (CBA) to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory into a facility committed to serving Bronx residents. That CBA represents a multi-million dollar benefit package for the local community.  

For the first time in the history of New York City, a developer has agreed to wall-to-wall living wage jobs for local workers, more than 50,000 square feet of community space, targeted local hiring, opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses, free ice time for local schools, local procurement, sustainable green development and operation, and a business incubator to facilitate wealth creation for local residents. KNIC also plans to create a foundation to establish free after-school ice sports and academic tutoring programs for disadvantaged youth. The program will be modeled after the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation in Philadelphia, which has seen considerable academic and athletic success with those students who participate.

The Community Benefits Agreement has been signed by dozens of neighborhood organizations and community partners representing thousands of residents in the Northwest Bronx that support the project.

Borough President Diaz’s complete ULURP recommendations can be at the following link: http://on.nyc.gov/18njPny.

The Kingsbridge National Ice Center project was announced as the City’s official choice for the Kingsbridge Armory at a press conference in April 2013, which was attended by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Borough President Diaz, City Council Member Fernando Cabrera, KNIC Partners LLC Founder Kevin Parker, New York Rangers hockey legend Mark Messier, Olympic Figure Skating Gold Medalist Sarah Hughes, then New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky and then Community Board #7 Chairman Paul Foster.

The original press release announcing the project can be read here: http://on.nyc.gov/ZGheD1. Full video of that event can be watched here: http://on.nyc.gov/18pwSTg.

Ice Palace at Kingsbridge Armory Skates Through First Two Parts of the Land Use Process

  Tuesday night there was a public hearing, and then a vote by the members of Community Board 7 which approved the proposal to build 9 separate ice skating rinks on two levels inside the Kingsbridge Armory. Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) is the name of the corporation that will run the largest Ice sports Arena with 9 ice skating rinks and a seating area of 5,000 seats. New York Ranger great Mark Messier has been named CEO of KNIC and was at the presentation to CB 7 that took place at the Lovinger Theater inside Lehman Collage. 

  All the local elected officials or their representatives were in attendance, that was except for Councilman Fernando Cabrera. The Northwest Bronx Church and Clergy coalition and several other neighborhood groups from CB 7 that helped grind out a Community Benefits Agreement worth 1.7 Billion dollars all gleefully asked the CB 7 members to approve this first step of the ULURP process. The vote of CB 7 was overwhelmingly in favor of the KNIC proposal with only 5 members voting against the proposal. 

  The next step was on Friday where Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. (a proponent of this proposal) held a public hearing in the Bronx County Courthouse. From here the proposal goes to the City Planning Commission which has up to 60 days to decide on the proposal, then if approved it would be off to a City Council vote within 45 days of the CPC approval. It is hoped that this process can be finished this year under the current City Council and current Mayor, and not have to continue into the next administration and new City Council.

Left - you can see New York ranger great Mark Messier sitting and waiting for his turn to speak in favor of the KNIC proposal for the Kingsbridge Armory.

Right - Messier address the crowd inside the Bronx Courthouse Rotunda as to why the KNIC proposal should be accepted.

Left - Members of Community Board 7 during the public hearing at  Lehman College.

Right - CB 7 Chair Adaline Walker-Santiago reports on the overwhelming vote of approval from CB 7 for the KNIC proposal.

 

 The agreement between the Kingsbridge National Ice Center with the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance better know as the Community Benefits Agreement.

Mark Messier Named CEO of KNIC

 

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ

RE: Mark Messier Named CEO of KNIC

“I am thrilled that hockey legend and hall of famer Mark Messier has been named Chief Executive Officer of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, and that he will lead the transformation of the Kingsbridge Armory into the world’s largest ice sports facility.

“Since day one, Mr. Messier has proven to be a great friend of the Bronx with his unwavering support of the KNIC project. He understands the importance of responsible development in the Bronx and knows that this project will create living wage jobs and economic activity, will support important community and educational initiatives, and will provide New Yorkers with unprecedented access to a variety of spectacular ice sports.

“I am excited that Mark Messier will take the lead in the redevelopment of our beloved Kingsbridge Armory and I look forward to working with him as we transform the Kingsbridge Armory into a source of pride for the Bronx and the City for generations to come,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

MAYOR BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES PLANS TO TRANSFORM KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY INTO WORLD’S LARGEST INDOOR ICE FACILITY

Kingsbridge National Ice Center Will Feature Nine Year-Round Indoor Ice Rinks, Including a 5,000-Seat Feature Rink for Major Ice Hockey and Skating Events

KNIC Partners LLC Will Invest $275 Million to Redevelop the Vacant Building, Creating More Than 260 Permanent Jobs and 890 Construction Jobs

            Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced plans to transform the iconic Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx – vacant since 1996 – into the world’s largest indoor ice facility. The landmark armory, which occupies a full City block at 29 West Kingsbridge Road, will be redeveloped into a 750,000-square-foot ice sports facility to be known as Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC). KNIC will feature nine year-round indoor regulation size ice rinks, including a feature rink that can seat approximately 5,000 people and be used to host national and international ice hockey tournaments, figure and speed skating competitions and ice shows. The project will also include 50,000 square feet of space designated for community uses. It is expected that KNIC will draw more than 2 million visitors a year, vastly increasing the options of ice facilities in New York City, where there are currently only seven year-round ice rinks, none of which are located in the Bronx. The project represents a private investment of $275 million, which will generate 890 construction jobs and 267 permanent jobs. Mayor Bloomberg made the announcement at the Kingsbridge Armory and was joined by KNIC Partners LLC Founder Kevin Parker, New York Rangers hockey legend Mark Messier, Olympic Figure Skating Gold Medalist Sarah Hughes, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., City Council Member Cabrera and New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky.

           

            “Through this redevelopment the Kingsbridge Armory will now have an interior program befitting its iconic exterior architecture,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “The construction of the world’s largest indoor ice rink facility will create recreational opportunities for millions of visitors and local residents, and most importantly create hundreds of jobs for the local community. This plan is proof that working together we can put aside our differences and do what’s best for the city" Bloomberg and Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. said.

“This historic announcement represents a great achievement for the Bronx and the entire City,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky. “The Bloomberg Administration has long been committed to revitalizing the Bronx, and this $275 million private investment is another step forward, bringing a landmark building back to life with the largest ice sports facility in the world, while creating nearly 1,200 permanent and construction jobs that will contribute the area’s long-term economic growth.”

            “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for the historic Kingsbridge Armory,” said Kevin Parker, founder of KNIC Partners. “I thank Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Economic Development Corporation for this tremendous honor and for believing in our vision, and look forward to working with the community throughout this process to ensure the Armory’s future is as incredible as its past. This project is about opportunity, first and foremost, and we are confident the Kingsbridge National Ice Center will become a source of pride for the Bronx and all of New York City for generations to come.”

            “This is a fantastic project, one that will bring living wage jobs and new recreation opportunities to the northwest Bronx while completely transforming a long-vacant space into a new amenity that will complement the surrounding community,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “This project shows the tremendous opportunity the Bronx has to offer, and I am proud to have helped move the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory forward.”

“Today we are one step closer to transforming the Kingsbridge Armory into an important economic engine for the surrounding Kingsbridge community and the Bronx as a whole,” said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. “I am incredibly pleased that we were able to reach an agreement with the Kingsbridge National Ice Center that addresses the needs of the community I serve.”

            “I commend Mayor Bloomberg for his leadership in reaching this decision,” said New York Rangers legend and NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier. “As a hockey player, I believe the Kingsbridge National Ice Center will change the sport in the metropolitan area. As a New Yorker, I know it will also change this city, providing invaluable educational and athletic opportunity to thousands of young people, and transforming the Bronx into the new center of ice sports in the United States.”

            “Today is a day for New York City to celebrate,” said Olympic Champion figure skater Sarah Hughes. “The Kingsbridge National Ice Center – and the educational and fitness initiatives it will create – represents new possibilities for so many children, including those who dream of one day becoming Olympic champions. This is the start of something incredible for the Bronx and I am proud to be part of it.”

Of the nine ice rinks, five will be located on the main floor and four will be constructed on two platforms elevated approximately 40 feet above the main floor. At least two rinks at KNIC will be sled hockey-compatible for people with disabilities. The facility is expected to be open 365 days a year. In addition to the ice rinks, the facility will feature: a wellness center, with off-ice training fitness, rehabilitation and sports therapy programs; dressing rooms and lockers with storage for individual hockey equipment; concession space; retail space for ice sport goods; and parking for approximately 480 cars. Renderings are available at www.flickr.com/nycmayorsoffice.

KNIC also plans to create a foundation to establish free after-school ice sports and academic tutoring programs for disadvantaged youth. The program will be modeled after the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation in Philadelphia with the goal of providing 12 hours of ice time each weekday during the school year and 9 hours each weekday during summer.

The project will now begin a comprehensive public and environmental review with an anticipated groundbreaking in late 2014. The entire project will be built in two phases, with the first phase, consisting of five ice rinks, 50,000 square feet community space, concessions and parking, expected to be complete by September 2018. The remainder of the project will be built in the second phase which is expected to open by September 2019.

KNIC Partners LLC was selected through a competitive public process that began with the issuance of an RFP by NYCEDC in January 2012, and will now enter into a 99-year lease for the property. The RFP sought a redevelopment plan that would promote economic growth in Kingsbridge and surrounding neighborhoods, provide quality jobs for local residents, and create an exciting destination for people throughout the Bronx and the City.

Built between 1912 and 1917, the Kingsbridge Armory was designed by the architecture firm of Pilcher and Tachau and is an outstanding example of military architecture featuring Romanesque arches, vaulted ceilings, decorative brick and terra cotta, and large battlement towers. Thought to be the largest armory in the world, Kingsbridge Armory is an approximately 575,000 square foot land marked building. The 180,000 square foot main drill floor measures 300 feet by 600 feet – more than a full New York City block – and is spanned freely by pairs of vaulted steel trusses that rise 110 feet above the drill hall floor. Beneath the drill floor, a 105,000 square foot basement level and a 207,000 square foot sub-basement formerly housed offices, a garage, rifle and pistol ranges, a dining room, a gymnasium, and an auditorium.  In addition, on the Armory’s south facade is a 35,000 square foot head-house, the central feature of which is a double-height entrance foyer with a vaulted ceiling. The Armory has not been used for military purposes since 1993. The City has invested about $30 million in capital funds for environmental cleanup in the building, replacement of its roof and repairs to the facade.

Left - Mayor Bloomberg at the mike announcing the plan to house the Kingsbridge National Ice Center at the Kingsbridge Armory. L - R are Mr. Kevin Parker of KNIC, Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr., CB 7 chair Paul Foster, Councilman Fernando Cabrera, Gold Medalist skater Sarah Hughes, NYCEDC President Seth Pinsky.

Right - Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr. at the mike.

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