Bedford-Union Armory Approved By Council: Reaction Roundup

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — The controversial plan to turn the vacant Bedford-Union Armory into a rec center, office space and apartment complex cleared its last major hurdle Thursday when the city council approved it nearly unanimously.

Unless a lawsuit filed earlier this week can gain any traction, it seems the project, which was debated and discussed for years, is a done deal.

Patch has rounded up the reactions from elected officials, city agencies, community stakeholders and organizations on all sides of the debate. You can see what they had to say below. If we missed one, send us an email, and we'll make sure it gets added.

Laurie Cumbo, City Councilwoman:

Today marks the culmination of a two-year journey, which began with a project that did not integrate our most basic needs, and now reflects what we have long envisioned for the Bedford Union Armoryin Crown Heights ...

The Bedford Union Armory will be transformed into an intergenerational hub for health and wellness, while preserving the affordability, diversity, and vibrancy of our community. This project will deliver low-income and affordable housing for 250 families, including the formerly homeless; low-cost rental space for local nonprofits; a world-class recreation center with membership rates as low as $8 for our youth and $10 for adults to enjoy a wide array of free or reduced cost classes; at least $1.25 million for community engagement programming; increased access to critical healthcare services for the uninsured, more than 700 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs.

Vaughn Armor, New York Communities For Change:

Today's vote by Laurie Cumbo and the City Council is nothing short of betrayal. They have decided to green-light the mayor's plan to further gentrify my neighborhood by building hundreds of luxury housing units on the public's land.

Despite campaign promises, Cumbo approved a project that turns a public resource over for private profit, and in exchange she is giving us a recreation center that no one will be able to use because they will have been pushed out. This is an insult.

James Patchett, New York City Economic Development Corporation President:

Over the past four years, we have proudly worked with Council Member Cumbo and the Crown Heights community to redevelop a vacant armory into a center of opportunity for this neighborhood. This project will deliver an accessible world-class recreation center, 250 units of affordable housing for families earning between $25,000 and $57,000 a year, and permanently affordable space for local non-profits. We thank Council Member Cumbo for her leadership, and her City Council colleagues for voting in support of a project that will serve the needs of families and residents in Crown Heights for generations to come.

Jabari Brisport, former City Council candidate:

Laurie Cumbo voted today to allow developers to privatize public land for 150 market-rate apartments that will force working people out of the community while lining the pockets of the wealthy elite. She and the mayor have decided to use our public resources, which belong to the many, to increase the already exorbitant wealth of the few. This is a complete betrayal of the Crown Heights voters who she promised 100% affordability to—and a knife in the back of our district which is already scarred by displacement. Laurie Cumbo’s yes vote on this project betrays her constituents, and will not be forgotten.

Bill de Blasio, New York City Mayor:

Alongside the East New York and Downtown Far Rockaway plans, the East Harlem plan and Bedford Armory Recreation Project mean thousands of affordable homes for neighborhood families. They mean jobs for local residents, community spaces for learning, growing and gathering, and investments in parks, schools, and roads. As we plan for the future, we protect the core values of our city and our neighborhoods – and most importantly the very residents who built these communities.

Ede Fox, former City Council candidate:

I'm disappointed though not surprised that Cumbo flip-flopped again in her position on the armory. She promised she would only support a project that included 100% affordable housing in all her mailers during the campaign, yet just two months later is set to approve a project that still includes market-rate housing on public land.

Geoffrey Davis, Democratic District Leader and Founder of the James E. Davis Stop the Violence Foundation:

After years of fighting for a quality recreation and education center for the Crown Heights community, this plan is making that dream a reality. At a time when we are losing too many of our neighbors to tragic street violence, the new rec center at the Bedford-Union Armory will help us stop the violence and provide our young people with a safe place to develop their talents and achieve success. I am proud to support this plan and I believe we should all be thankful for the incredible work of Council Member Laurie Cumbo, who secured this win for the community.

Image via BFC Partners