Controversial Armory Project Will Get Public Hearing Tuesday

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Opponents and supporters of the city's plan to redevelop a vacant armory in Crown Heights will have another chance to voice their opinions about the project at a public hearing Tuesday.

The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Housing & Economic Development is hosting a public hearing at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Manhattan Municipal Building to review the draft of an Environmental Impact Statement about the project (scroll down for more on that).

If you can't make it out to the hearing, subscribe to Patch for full coverage of it, and more news about Crown Heights.

The city has chosen BFC Partners to redevelop the armory, on Bedford Avenue and Union Street, and turn it into a community rec center, office space and housing complex. The housing would include market-rate condos, rentals and affordable housing.

Opponents of the project are unhappy with the market-rate condominiums and the half-and-half split of housing among the rental units.

Tuesday's public hearing is the latest step in the city's lengthy land-use review process needed for major zoning changes. As part of that process, Community Board 9 and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams have both strongly recommended scrapping the project.

RELATED: Bedford-Union Armory Project Begins City Review: What You Need To Know

City Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo, who will cast an influential vote once the project reaches her desk, has also vowed to vote against it as it currently is written.

Mayor Bill de Blasio hasn't ruled out the possibility of pumping more money into the plan to build more affordable housing, which could swing Cumbo's support.

The full draft environmental statement on the project is massive, but you can view it in full here if you're so inclined. We've embedded the executive summary below: