Crown Heights Armory to Be Sold to Developer
The Bedford-Union Armory in Crown Heights, which recently hosted Chabad’s Kinus Hashlucim workshops and Satmar’s 21 Kislev celebrations, will soon be sold to a developer, who plans to tear down the structure and replace it with housing units.
From DNAinfo by Rachel Holiday Smith:
Private townhouses, affordable and market-rate apartments and a new recreation center are coming to the Bedford-Union Armory in Crown Heights, according to multiple people familiar with a plan by the city’s Economic Development Corporation.
Part of the 138,000-square-foot former military facility — built in 1903 and acquired by the city in 2013 — will be sold to a private developer to be converted into 12 private townhouses built inside former horse stables located on President Street along the building’s south side, the sources said.
Space on the armory’s east side currently used as a parking garage will be replaced by a new building to include market-rate and affordable rental units, those with knowledge of the plan said; 50 percent of the planned units will be market-rate, 30 percent will be set aside for middle-income residents and 20 percent for low-income residents.
The size of the proposed apartment building is unclear. Land use rules allow for up to 13 stories.
In addition to the housing components, the armory’s main building — with its distinctive domed drill hall on top — will house a new recreational facility, including a swimming pool, three basketball courts and an indoor soccer field, sources said. The center, which will be open to the community, will be operated by CAMBA, a Flatbush-based social service provider and non-profit.
Milhouse
The article you cite contradicts your claims. The armory is not being sold, and will not be torn down. The developer is buying the stables on President St and turning them into townhouses (without tearing them down), and is tearing down the garage to build an apartment block, but the city is keeping the armory for public use, and turning it into a recreation center.
To Mr. Milhouse
Im just curious, is commenting on CH.info your full time job?
Private Developer
This sounds like a corrupt deal. Why is a private developer getting this property? It doesn’t sound like this plan has much to offer for the religious Jewish Communities.
innocent young professional
I am sorry if i come across as stupid, but this question has been sitting with me since the very moment my eyes laid upon what i am assuming is real thought out and rational commentary, as opposed to anger filled emotional nonsense. why dose it HAVE TO benefit and offer something for the “religious Jewish Communities”?
And to answer your question,
one would assume a private developer is getting it because there were bids and who ever won placed the best bid. but thats just me assuming so don’t ponder it to much.
whynot_31
Milhouse is correct. Here are photos of the parts of the armory.
http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/35353/the-repurposing-of-the-armory-at-bedford-and-union/p3
Josh
Who is kidding who here?
Much like the Atlantic Center and other big projects, the developer claims there will be “affordable and market-rate apartments” so that they can buy the property and get approval for the project; However, once it is built the “affordable and market-rate apartments” will be a memory due to some “unforseen” issue preventing them from being included as part of the final construct.
Riv
Real Estate developers are so sleazy. I wish this entire area were for use of the members of our local community for activities and exercise. It could be a place for all to learn good behaviors rather than destructive habits. I would feel better about it were it run by the YMCA as the one in Park Slope is rather than CAMBA who has little experience with such things.
The hipsters and yupsters will be moving in to luxury apartments further increasing the local rents and land value along with our taxes bringing overpriced corporations to us. We need to preserve our homes and our businesses. We need more affordable housing. A small number of already wealthy developers are going to making a lot of money with our tax dollars. So much sleaziness with our leaders. I can’t believe what is happening.
Jewish dude
To number four frumme yidden walk to shull on shabat. They are not allowed to take the bus or their car on shabat. So they must live in a Jewish neighborhood. People who are not Jewish can live every were. Extremely important that at least half of the housing goes to orthodox religious Jewish families.They have great trouble getting housing in Brooklyn and Manhattan.