Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Adds Community-Owned Commercial Condos

The recently selected developers of the Bronx’s long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory will build community-owned commercial condominiums and industrial space at the site.

Maddd Equities and Joy Construction have partnered with nonprofit Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory into a new community center, according to a Wednesday announcement.

Maddd and Joy, which are using the entity 8th Regiment Partners for the development, were selected by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) in January to redevelop the 570,000-square-foot armory in Kingsbridge Heights, as Commercial Observer previously reported.

They released more details about their plans this week. Phase 1 of the project will see the armory turned into an event venue with community space, a recreation center, an educational hub and sports fields, while Phase 2 includes approximately 450 units of permanently affordable rental housing adjacent to the armory, the release said.

The plans also include community-owned condos and affordable commercial space.

“This agreement marks a transformative shift in how development can and should happen in our communities,” Sandra Lobo, executive director of the NWBCCC, said in a statement. “For decades, Bronx residents have organized for a say in the future of the Kingsbridge Armory.

“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,” Lobo added.

The new plans for the project include two long-term subleased community-owned condos for community use, which will operate through a master condo association and comprise more than 20 percent of the total site footprint, according to the release.

One condo will serve as a 25,000-square-foot community hub with space for activities, workforce development, entrepreneurship and business development, while the other condo will provide up to 100,000 square feet for affordable light manufacturing aimed at accommodating Bronx-based businesses, the release said.

In addition, up to 20,000 square feet of affordable commercial space will be set aside for small and local businesses as part of the housing phase of the development.

The EDC and 8th Regiment Partners launched the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) for the development in May, and the project is now moving through the public approval process, according to the release.

The developers have also established a community council co-convened by NWBCCC to get input on the project’s tenant mix, programming and environmental standards from locals, the release said. Plus, a Community Benefit Fund funded through project revenue will “support long-term local investments in initiatives aimed at wealth-building and community ownership.”

“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,” Gabriella Sottile, principal at Maddd, said in a statement.

The Kingsbridge Armory, which opened in 1917 and was used by the U.S. military until 1994, was reverted to city ownership in 1996 and suffered from serious electrical and flooding issues in recent years.

The EDC launched a bidding process to redevelop the landmarked property in September 2023 after Related Companies failed to turn the armory into a shopping complex and New York Rangers legend Mark Messier lost his plans to turn it into a national ice center.

Maddd and Joy now hold the reins of the project, supported by a $200 million investment by Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul, $2 million from Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, $12 million from Councilmember Pierina Ana Sanchez, and a $1.05 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to the release.

The developers are set to break ground on the project next year.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.