Bedford Union Armory Unveils Pricing For Membership, Classes

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Long-sought-after details about how much it will cost to play basketball, take swim lessons or sign up for a fitness class at the transformed Bedford Union Armory have been revealed.

Developers of the facility — which has been renamed the Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Center — unveiled pricing and other details this week about memberships, classes and other programs at the armory, whose redevelopment has been hotly debated for years.

The price points include a range of discounts, including reduced prices for Community Board 9 members, Title I families and seniors, according to the plans.

"From afterschool programming and dance lessons to camps and lifesaving swim classes, the Owens Center will become a key part of the lives of local Brooklynites,” said Donald Capoccia, principal with armory developer BFC Partners. “In partnership with our program directors, we are committed to providing truly affordable memberships and classes to the community in order to reach everyone who wants to participate. No child should miss out on classes, programs and lifesaving lessons because of the inability to pay."

The pricing details come a few weeks after news that swimming classes would cost $50 per half hour had some Brooklynites questioning promises that the new community center would bring affordable options to local families.

Supporters of plans for the city-owned site, including Council Member Laurie Cumbo, have faced backlash from those who say it will accelerate gentrification in the neighborhood.

The information unveiled this week show that the $50 price will indeed be the going rate per half-hour swimming class. But the pool operator, Imagine Swimming, also plans to provide 9,000 $10 classes to Community Board 9 residents as well as scholarship programs and 80 percent discounts on lessons to Title I schools and families, the prices show.

Two hours of open swim will also be available to families at the community center each day for those with a discounted membership to the facility.

Standard memberships will be $30 per month, while seniors and 250 CB9 members will pay $10 per month with the discounted rate.

Discounts are also up for grabs for various fitness classes in the auditorium, turf or basketball court and those who want to rent out space at the facility.

The community center is slated to open its doors later this year.

It will be joined by the residential component of the Armory project in 2022 and 2023. The project will eventually bring 415 homes to Crown Heights, 250 of which will be set aside as affordable.

Here's a look at all the pricing details, provided by BFC:

Discounts:

• Discounted Individual Access: This could be in the form of memberships, programming, services and lessons to individuals.
• Discounted memberships for 250 residents of Community Board 9;
• Discounted lease space, in which individuals or entities are charged below market rent for their office space at $6.00 per square foot, where the market-rate prices can range from $26.00 to $33.00 per square foot;
• Discounted facility use, in which individuals or entities are charged below-market hourly rental fees for the use of various spaces in the facility; and
• Discounted services, in which tenants and operators will provide various services at below-market rates.

Pool programming from Imagine Swimming:

• Offering lessons at an 80% discount, in addition to scholarships, and allocating a portion of proceeds to local Title I schools/families.
• 9,000 discounted swim lessons (at $10 versus $50 per class) per year to Community Board 9 residents.
• Scholarship programs for students at Title I schools.
• At least two hours of open/family swim hours every day for Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Community Center discounted membership participants.

Basketball programming from New Heights:

• NH’s signature program College Bound – New Heights will conduct team practices, and fundamental skill development training and college prep support for the College Bound enrolled student athletes, these programs are free for participants. These participants will draw from the Crown Heights and surrounding neighborhoods, enrolling over 400 youth.
• NH Community‐Based Programs – New Heights will continue to lead clinics and leagues that combine life skills with fundamental basketball skill development for youth in the community. These programs will be free or low cost to participants and open to all.
• Community‐Led Programs – Working in partnerships with local organizations to provide discounted facility rentals for organizations to run their existing programs.
• School‐Led Programs – Working in partnerships with local schools to provide discounted facility rentals for organizations to run their existing programs.

Turf programming from Globall Sports Center:

• Community‐Led Programs – Working in partnerships with local organizations to provide discounted facility rentals ($65 versus $200 per hour) for organizations to run their existing programs.
• Discounted soccer clinics and lessons (at $10 versus $50 per hour) to Community Board 9 residents.

Other programming at The Betty Carter Auditorium for the Arts (BCAA):

• The Armory will provide discounted rental rates for community organizations and non-profit tenants to use for events, such as themed parties, meetings and conferences, fairs, exhibits and performing arts. Discounted rates for the space range from $75 to $150 per hour.
• The Armory will provide discounted rates and free programming for health and wellness classes, including Vinyasa yoga, power yoga, meditation, mindfulness, martial arts and group fitness classes for every member of a family. Typical class cost is $20 per session. Discounted rates range from $10 to $15 per session.