Share Your Opinions About Controversial Crown Heights Armory At Public Hearing

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Crown Heights residents will finally have a chance to share their opinions — positive or negative — about a hotly contested piece of development in their neighborhood at a public hearing Tuesday.

The mayor's office will hold the hearing on the Bedford-Union Armory — a former National Guard armory that the city wants to turn into sports facilities, office space and a mix of affordable and market-rate condos — after initially pushing the date back following intense pushback from residents and local officials.

The city's Economic Development Corporation chose a plan by BFC Partners to re-develop the property, a plan that includes 164 market-rate and 166 affordable units.

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The project's detractors say the near 50/50 split in affordable units isn't enough and that the development will only increase the rapid gentrification in the neighborhood. Leading the opposition has been U.S. Rep. Yvette Clark, State Senator Jesse Hamilton and State Assembly Members Walter T. Mosley and Diana Richardson.

BFC Partners also announced Monday that the project will provide affordable office to six area nonprofits: the Brooklyn Community Pride Center; Digital Girl, Inc.; Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy; the James E. Davis Stop the Violence Foundation; New Heights Youth and the West Indian American Day Carnival Association.

The developer is also partnering with a local nonprofit to do community outreach for the project, oversee a trust fund that will pay for affordable housing in the area and identify minority- and women-owned contractors for construction.

The development still has to go through the land-use process, which includes Community Board hearings and a full city council vote.

The meeting was initially scheduled for January but was pushed back after the politicians submitted Freedom of Information Act requests to learn more about the project's financials.

It will be held Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Ebbets Field Middle School. Public comments "are invited" in person at the meeting or can be sent to the mayor's office.

Click here for more information about the meeting.

Read more:

• Crown Heights Armory Developer Partners With Local Nonprofit To Do Community Outreach
• Bedford Union Armory Financials Demanded By Crown Heights Officials
• Here's What's Going on With Crown Heights' Beleaguered Bedford-Union Armory
• Imagine If the Bedford Union Armory Were Transformed Into 100% Affordable Housing

Image via BFC Partners