Tuesday, April 30, 2013

LIU: AUDIT FINDS SOMETHING FISHY IN EDC’S MANAGEMENT OF SOUTH STREET SEAPORT


Failing to Protect Taxpayers, Agency Allowed Company to Short City on Rent 
Payments and Provide an EDC Board Member with Rent-Free Office Space
 
City Comptroller John C. Liu today announced that an audit of the NYC Economic Development Corporation’s (EDC’s) handling of the City’s South Street Seaport properties found that the company EDC contracted with to manage office space there shortchanged the City by $1.3 million in unpaid rent.  The audit also uncovered a conflict of interest in which an EDC Board Member accepted free services, including the apparent use of office space from the same company, Seaport Associates LLC.
 
 City Comptroller John C. Liu today announced that an audit of the NYC Economic Development Corporation’s (EDC’s) handling of the City’s South Street Seaport properties found that the company EDC contracted with to manage office space there shortchanged the City by $1.3 million in unpaid rent.  The audit also uncovered a conflict of interest in which an EDC Board Member accepted free services, including the apparent use of office space from the same company, Seaport Associates LLC. “This is more of the same-old from the EDC playbook – hire a consultant to do your job and then doze off while that company stiffs the taxpayers for a pretty penny. What’s more, the EDC failed to notice that a board member received free services from that company,” Comptroller Liu said. “Who knows what other conflicts of interest remain to be discovered? Who knows how much more money the EDC has failed to collect?”
The EDC oversees the management and rent collections for City-owned properties at the South Street Seaport. The EDC contracted with South Street Seaport Associates to maintain and collect rents on the office spaces above the shops and restaurants in the historic Seaport area between Water and Fulton streets.  Comptroller Liu’s office audited this agreement to determine whether EDC properly monitored Seaport Associates and whether Seaport Associates followed the terms of its agreement.
Conflict of Interest
Comptroller Liu’s audit found that a member of EDC’s Executive Committee, who was formerly a principal of Seaport Associates, accepted free services from Seaport Associates, including apparently using office space. The EDC Board Member had paid Seaport Associates $3,000 per month for office space for his private business at 19 Fulton Street.  In 2008, however, he stopped leasing this space and instead appears to have started sharing office space with Seaport Associates in the same building, paying no rent.  He used this address as his private company’s sole New York City location on his website and elsewhere. 
The Board Member, who joined the EDC in 1995, did not disclose to the EDC his past relationship with Seaport Associates or his rent-free use of the office space in the 2010 and 2011 Disclosure Statements for Directors.  EDC acknowledged the Board Member’s conflict of interest and stated that he has since amended his 2011 Disclosure Statement  and no longer uses Seaport Associates office space. After it was brought to their attention, EDC officials described the Board Member’s use of Seaport Associates space as a “mail drop.”  The Board Member, however, had a name plate on the tenants list posted in the 19 Fulton St. lobby and listed the address as his company’s sole New York City location on his website and elsewhere.
Unpaid Rent
Seaport Associates owes the City $1.3 million because it failed to report all its subtenant rental income.  This amount includes $787,664 in unpaid rent and $507,172 in accrued interest.
The EDC relies on Seaport Associates to manage and collect rents for the office space in the Seaport. The lease agreement requires the company pay either a minimum base rent determined by the square footage of leasable space or 20 percent of its gross income — whichever was greater.  Seaport Associates paid the City 20 percent of its income, but it paid 20 percent of its net income — after deducting all operating expenses — sharply reducing what it owed taxpayers for the right to manage these public properties.
 
Year
Rent
Accrued Interest
Total
2011
71,940
17,245
89,185
2010
146,295
52,172
198,467
2009
117,641
59,685
177,326
2008
108,630
70,992
179,622
2007
151,783
121,714
273,497
2006
103,860
93,474
197,334
2005
87,515
91,890
179,405
Total
$787,664
$507,172
$1,294,836
 

Seaport Associates, EDC Audit Responses
Finally, although Seaport Associates offered no facts or documentation to dispute the audit’s findings, the company nevertheless rejected them out of hand, claiming that the findings resulted from political infighting between the Comptroller’s office and the EDC.  Considering that the EDC agrees with the findings and recommendations of the Comptroller’s audit, that accusation rings hollow.

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Monday, April 29, 2013

OPEN LETTER TO NYS GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO





PEOPLE FOR THE DIGNITY OF THE  BRONX ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 86 (D86)

Mailing address: 19 E Tremont Ave. Bronx NY 10453*** 

OPEN LETTER TO THE NYS GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO


April 27, 2013                                  
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 1224 

Re: Thank you Governor Cuomo


The people of Assembly District 86th stand grateful for, and empowered by, your support in their quest to chose their next State Assembly representative in a transparent  and democratic process. This district, and the Bronx, are one of the poorest areas in New York State, and the nation, and the "business as usual" way of handpicking leaders in our district has not served its constituents in their efforts to tackle the crucial problems affecting this neighborhood, from staggering unemployment rates to poor health outcomes. Your forthright leadership and public stance on our need for transparent and fair elections, as on most of the important issues affecting  our State,  has given us the sense that we are not alone in wanting to bring justice and fairly elected representation to our community. 
 
On Sunday April 21, 2013 we held a rally asking you to help the people of this district get a competitive and open election process to elect their new assembly representative. Like on many other occasions, many people were skeptical that anyone would hear our call. For a neighborhood that has lost trust in the transparency of the electoral process, and the many elected officials that have betrayed us, your call for an open election without party leader interference has given us back our hope.
Starting with that rally, we were in the process of collecting signatures to continue that movement, but today we write to thank you for allowing us to select our best representative in a fair election.
Although New York State politicians have been in the press more for their wrong doing than what they do right lately, your actions prove that it is possible, necessary, and right to allow people to hold politicians, and the system that often supports them, accountable through fair elections.

Thank you once again and we hope to see you visiting our neighborhood soon.
 
Sincerely,

PEOPLE FOR THE DIGNITY OF THE  BRONX ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 86 (D86)
HECTOR RAMIREZ
 COORDINATOR
    
(SEE LIST OF THE MEMBERS ATTACHED)

Editors note:
In the translation from the document that was sent the three page list of names was unable to be printed correctly. 
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Sunday, April 28, 2013

The New York Hispanic Ministers Breakfast

 Team Diaz 2013 Left - 15th City Council Candidate Rev. Joel Bauza, Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., Mayoral candidate Erick Salgado, and 11th City Council candidate Cheryl Keeling.

   The New York Hispanic Ministers led by State Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz Sr. held a breakfast fundraiser to benefit their announced candidate for mayor Reverend Erick Salgado of Brooklyn. Over 150 clergy members from all over New York City came to the Bronx to help Senator Diaz raise money for mayoral candidate Salgado. Diaz Sr. is a veteran of many Bronx elections for District Leader, City Council, and State Senate. His son Ruben Diaz Jr. has won elected office as an assemblyman and now is the Bronx Borough President. Lately due to the changes in the state senate with the passage of legislation that goes against the moral principles of Senator Reverend Diaz and others in the clergy, the New York Hispanic Ministers have joined together to come up with candidates who have the same beliefs that they do.
The master of ceremonies for the breakfast was Bishop Luis Bonano. In attendance also were the Hispanic Ministers choice for the 11th City Council District Ms. Cheryl Keeling, and 15th City Council District Reverend Joel Bauza. 15th Council candidate Rev. Joel Bauza spoke first about the importance of contributions and how they are matched 6 to 1 by the Campaign Finance Board to level out the playing field. There are limits on how much is matched, and that is the key. Senator Diaz then spoke on how it has been voting for Democrats in the past no matter who they were and sometimes no matter where they stood on certain topics. Those topics would never become legislation in the past, but now have. Diaz Sr. said “it's about time people voted our way, and for our candidates which includes Erick Salgado for Mayor”. When he introduced Democratic mayoral candidate Erick Salgado Senator Diaz handed him his check for $1,000.00.
    Salgado spoke at length on what is wrong with the city and how he would be a mayor of all five boroughs, not just an area of lower Manhattan. He wants to restore the police force to past levels, and spoke of being stopped by the police but not frisked after he identified himself. Salgado also spoke on the poor condition of the education system in the city that he says is failing the children. He wants to support small business, and reduce the government bureaucracy now in place. Salgado added that he has support from others than only Hispanics, which include Orthodox Jews, and the Russian community in Brooklyn who are supporting him. There was even a reporter from a Russian newspaper covering the event. He said these are the people who believe in the same moral values that we do.
    I asked Reverend Salgado about the candidacy of former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, which Salgado said would not hurt him. I continued that Carrion might not affect the Democratic primary, but in the November election he could steal enough votes from the Democratic candidate for the Republican candidate to win. Then when I asked Rev. Salgado if he would support the winner of the Democratic primary if he did not win he did not answer, and said that he would win adding that he would also be the candidate of the Conservative Party. I called Bill Newmark the Bronx Conservative Party Leader who said that while Rev. Salgado will be getting the endorsement of the Bronx Conservative Party that two other county organizations would need to also endorse him to allow the five borough New York City Conservative Party to have Rev. Salgado on their line. Chairman Newmark also told me that it looked like New York State Conservative Party Leader Mike Long was trying to convince three of the other borough Conservative leaders to endorse one of the Republican candidates for mayor. 




 Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz Sr. at the microphone as his 15th city council candidates Rev. Joel Bauza 15th and Cheryl Kelling 11th Council districts look on.

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Friday, April 26, 2013

New York City Summer Youth Employment Program


This comes from The New York City Department of Youth & Community Development.


Do you know a New York City youth between the ages of 14 and 24 who is looking for a job this summer?


The New York City Summer Youth Employment Program ( SYEP ) application is now available!  For more information about the program and to apply online, please visit www.nyc.gov/dycd.  Youth may also download and print an application from the website and return their completed application to an authorized SYEP provider. 

The deadline to apply is Friday, May 10, 2013.

Visit www.nyc.gov/dycd , call 311, or 1(800) 246-4646 for more information

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LIU, LAW DEPT. ANNOUNCE MAJOR SHAREOWNER SUIT AGAINST BRITISH PETROLEUM


    City Comptroller John C. Liu and the New York City Law Department today announced that the New York City Pension Funds have filed a lawsuit against British Petroleum (NYSE: BP) seeking to recover investment losses caused by BP’s fraudulent statements issued prior to, and after, the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.

“BP failed to disclose to shareowners the serious risks involved in its offshore drilling operation,” Comptroller Liu said. “After the spill began, it misleadingly attempted to minimize the extent of the damage and the cost to shareowners.”

“In light of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Morrison v. National Australia Bank, Ltd., the City Pension Funds are barred from seeking recovery from BP under federal securities laws for the vast majority of its losses,” noted Inga Van Eysden, Chief of the New York City Law Department’s Pensions Division.  “We strongly believe the Funds deserve to be compensated for BP’s fraudulent actions and are therefore pursuing this case.”

The New York City Pension Funds’ complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, alleges that BP and its officers and directors failed to disclose the material facts regarding the dangers inherent in the offshore drilling operation, the extent of the leak, and the estimated cost of the cleanup.

The estimated transactional investment losses to City pension beneficiaries caused by BP’s misconduct and fraudulent behavior exceed $39 million.

Background
On April 20, 2010, BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig began leaking oil into the Gulf of Mexico. At first, BP officials said the rig was leaking a few thousand gallons a day. Weeks later, it acknowledged that over 206 million gallons of oil had poured into the Gulf.

A class action suit against BP was filed that year under federal securities law in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.  However, in a decision dated February 13, 2012, relying on the Supreme Court’s holding in Morrison v. National Australia Bank, Ltd., 130 S.Ct. 2869 (2010), the Texas court dismissed all claims relating to BP shares purchased on the London Stock Exchange.  As a result, that litigation provides no recourse for recovering the majority of the City Pension Funds’ losses on ordinary shares that were purchased abroad.  The current lawsuit primarily focuses on state law claims in an effort to recover those losses.

New York City’s legal team includes Valerie Budzik and Richard Simon of the Comptroller’s General Counsel’s Office, and Inga Van Eysden and Keith Snow of the New York City Law Department’s Pensions Division.  The City Pension Funds are represented by outside counsel Pomerantz Grossman Hufford Dahlstrom & Gross LLP, whose legal team includes Marc Gross, Jason Cowart, and Matthew Tuccillo.

The New York City Law Department is one of the oldest, largest, and most dynamic law offices in the world, ranking among the largest law offices in New York City and one of the largest public law offices in the country. Tracing its roots back to the 1600s, the Department has an active caseload of 80,000 matters and transactions in 17 legal divisions.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, San Diego, and Weston, Florida is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust litigation, and was a pioneer in the field of securities class actions.

New York City Comptroller John C. Liu serves as the investment advisor to, custodian, and trustee of the New York City Pension Funds. The New York City Pension Funds are composed of the New York City Employees’ Retirement System, Teachers’ Retirement System, New York City Police Pension Fund, New York City Fire Department Pension Fund, and the Board of Education Retirement System.  The New York City Pension Funds held a combined 2,822,840 shares in British Petroleum valued at $19,301,743.45 as of April 15, 2013.

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Wave Hill Events May 10–May 17

 
  We’re reveling in this year’s late spring season―forsythia are just now peaking and tulips are still providing a bright splash of color―and so, I imagine, are the praying mantis that came to life in the Potting Shed yesterday. Enjoy the attached portrait.

In fact, spring has been so intoxicating that it’s easy to lose sight of Mother’s Day, fast approaching. Walks and a special Family Art Project provide the perfect context for appreciating Mom! I hear that The Shop at Wave Hill has in-store events, one on Saturday, May 11, with local jeweler Erika Rosenbaum and her unquie, handmade designs, and the other on Sunday, May 12, with Matthew Shapoff, who creates one-of-a-kind Cyanotype prints.

FRI, MAY 10    ORNAMENTAL HERBS WALK 
At Wave Hill, our gardeners mix garden-worthy herbs in beds with more traditional perennials. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the Herb Garden and beyond to admire familiar and unfamiliar herbs in surprising garden combinations. Free with admission to the grounds.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, NOON

FRI, MAY 10    MARVELOUS MINTS COOKING DEMONSTRATION
Mint, rosemary, sage and many other herbs are members of the diverse mint family, Lamiaceae. Join Horticultural Interpreter Charles Day as he explains the essentials of growing these aromatic herbs, while a chef from Great Performances shares scrumptious seasonal recipes. Free with admission to the grounds.
ON THE GROUNDS, 2PM

SAT, MAY 11    FAMILY ART PROJECT—SACHETS AND FLORAL FANTASY FOR MOM
Sachets and Floral Fantasy for Mom/Fantasía floral para mama
Honor Mom with paper flowers and unique floral gifts, including fragrant sachets filled with lavender, tied with ribbon and bows and decorated with buds and other natural material. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SAT, MAY 11    TAI CHI CHUAN
Quiet like a mountain, moving like a river, Tai Chi is a sequence of gentle movements based on images found in nature. In this beginner-level class, Irving Yee, an active member of the William CC Chen Tai Chi School, will introduce students to the internal martial arts and promote an awareness of their health benefits. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: Member $15/Non-member $23. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11AM

SAT, MAY 11    BEEKEEPING: SPRING HIVE INSPECTION
Don hat, veil and gloves—bring your own or borrow ours—and join urban beekeeper Sara Katz and Horticultural Interpreter Charles Day for a hands-on look at the Wave Hill hives. Learn proper techniques to safely work with a hive filled with 50,000 honeybees. Beginning and experienced beekeepers welcome.
$20 Member/$30 Non-Member. Registration required, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

SAT, MAY 11    GALLERY TOUR
Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of Wave Hill’s spring exhibition, Drawn to Nature, which features the work of seven artists who use drawing to convey a deep connection to the natural world. In the Sunroom Project Space, Lynn Koble’s multimedia sculptural installation visualizes a partly scientific, partly whimsical plant classification. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

SUN, MAY 12    BIRDING AT WAVE HILL
Expert birder, naturalist and educator Gabriel Willow leads these regular Sunday walks. Registration recommended, online at www.wavehill.org, by calling 718.549.3200 x305 or at the Perkins Visitor Center. Space is limited. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Free with mission to the grounds. NYC Audubon Members enjoy two-for-one admission. 
MEET THE PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 9:30AM

SUN, MAY 12    FAMILY ART PROJECT—SACHETS AND FLORAL FANTASY FOR MOM
Sachets and Floral Fantasy for Mom/Fantasía floral para mama
Honor Mom with paper flowers and unique floral gifts, including fragrant sachets filled with lavender, tied with ribbon and bows and decorated with buds and other natural material. Free with admission to the grounds.
ECOLOGY BUILDING, 10AM‒1PM

SUN, MAY 12    HATHA YOGA
Find refuge from city life by practicing seasonal yoga. Decrease stress and increase your energy by focusing on your posture, breath control and meditation. Classes are led by Neem Dewji, certified in Hatha and Therapeutic Yoga by The Yoga for Health Foundation in Bedfordshire, England, and The Integral Yoga Institute in NYC. All levels welcome. Sessions are held outdoors only and are weather dependent. Call 718.549.3200 x245 by 8AM on the day of the class for program updates. Session fee: Member $15/Non-member $23. Registration opens onsite at 9:30AM.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10‒11:15AM

SUN, MAY 12    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK
Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

MON, MAY 13
Closed to the public.

TUE, MAY 14    GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS WALK
Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.
MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

TUE, MAY 14    GALLERY TOUR
Join a curatorial fellow for a tour of Wave Hill’s spring exhibition, Drawn to Nature, which features the work of seven artists who use drawing to convey a deep connection to the natural world. In the Sunroom Project Space, Lynn Koble’s multimedia sculptural installation visualizes a partly scientific, partly whimsical plant classification. Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2PM. Free with admission to the grounds.
GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM—5:30PM. Closes 4:30PM, November 1—March 14.  
ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6—18. Free Saturday mornings until noon. Free until noon Tuesdays in  May. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Program s are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 3o minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.
 
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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Kingsbridge Heights Community Center Neighborhood Festival!





Sign up to volunteer at our annual Neighborhood 
Festival this Saturday, April 27th!
Email us at volunteer@khcc-nyc.org
Activities include: 
Bouncy Castle - Face Painting - Photo Booth - Family Fitness Gardening - Music  & Performances - Games - Multicultural Cuisine - Theatrical Performances - Magic Show - Bollywood Dancing - Capoeira - Planting a Vegetable Garden - Painting a Mural & much more!
houselogo  
 
 
 
Kingsbridge Heights Community Center was founded in 1974 by three women community activists. Today, KHCC offers programs and services for all ages, guided by the Settlement House model of community development and involvement.
 
 
 
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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

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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