The city’s chosen developers, BFC Partners, along with one of the borough’s largest non-profits, CAMBA, today named five youth sports and educational organizations to provide community programming for the proposed redevelopment of the Bedford-Union Armory.
The mixed-use development will include a new 67,000-square-foot recreational space featuring basketball courts, multi-sport courts and a competitive-length swimming pool to serve local youth sports leagues, senior programs and others. creating much-needed recreational facilities.
As part of the partnership in development, CAMBA will oversee the rec space, which will include Team First, New Heights Youth, Central Brooklyn Soccer Club, Imagine Swimming and the Kings County Tennis League. Additionally, all programming will be free or discounted for Crown Heights residents. There will be more opportunities for other operators at the Armory’s rec center and additional operators are expected to join in the near future.
“We are committed to creating much-needed recreational space at the Armory and providing free and low-cost youth sports programming to thousands of Crown Heights families,” said Don Capoccia, principal of BFC Partners. “We are excited to continue working with CAMBA and other local stakeholders to make the Armory a win for the entire Crown Heights community.”
“The Bedford-Union Armory represents an incredible opportunity to connect more Crown Heights families with affordable youth basketball, soccer, swimming and tennis programs,” said Joanne M. Oplustil, president and CEO of CAMBA. “High-quality sports programming helps young people succeed in school and build important life skills, and CAMBA looks forward to making that a reality right here at the Armory.”
Team First, Inc. is a Brooklyn-based non-profit that connects student, who love sports, with experts and mentors who help them achieve academic success and build career and life skills. By fostering these relationships between students and mentors, Team First Inc. helps close the academic achievement gap for young people of color – especially in low-income, underserved communities – and makes student better prepared for college and career pathways. Team First inc. was founded by first generation immigrant and former professional athlete Tyrone Grant.
“Our presence at the Bedford-Union Armory is about more than sports – it’s about positively transforming the lives of young people in Brooklyn through education and mentorship,” said Ty Grant, founder of Team First, Inc. “We’re thrilled to take this opportunity to expand our programming and serve even more student athletes and create a brighter future for Brooklyn.”
New Heights Youth educates and empowers inner-city youth to become leaders, champions and student-athletes by developing the skills necessary for success in high school, college and life. In addition to providing basketball clinics and camps in the Armory’s rec center, New Heights will open new flagship offices on the second floor of the Armory’s head house, where it will provide programs including youth basketball teams and leagues, academic support, a Summer Academy for honing both academic and basketball skills, and dedicated high school, college and career support programs.
“Basketball is a pathway to building real leadership skills for kids of all backgrounds,” said Ted Smith, Executive Director of New Heights Youth. “We look forward to utilizing our space at the Armory to help thousands of young people develop their talents and succeed in life.”
Central Brooklyn Soccer Club helps young people reach their full potential on the soccer field while also building critical thinking and real world skills. CBSC offers programs that include a Development Academy for young people new to the game of soccer, Elite Training for high-skill players pursuing college and professional soccer opportunities, and a traveling team that is handpicked to represent the club in regional and international competitions. CBSC’s experienced staff and coaches will use the Armory’s rec center to teach soccer and life skills in a family-focused atmosphere.
“As more and more young people in Central Brooklyn pursue soccer, we are proud to come to the Armory and keep that positive trend going for the Crown Heights community,” said Dario Trujillo, executive director of Central Brooklyn Soccer Club. “This is a great moment for soccer and youth development in Brooklyn – now let’s make it a reality.”
Imagine Swimming is New York City’s largest learn-to-swim school and currently serves more than 4,000 students ages four months and up each week. The organization will operate the Armory’s pool and will provide swimming lessons, competitive swim team opportunities, water polo, and synchronized swimming. Imagine will offer discounted lesson rates to local community members, with the organization estimating that it will provide around 5,000 discounted lessons per year.
“Swimming is a lifesaving skill that helps New Yorkers of all ages stay healthy. We look forward to sharing the joys of the pool with Crown Heights families,” said Brendan O’Melveny of Imagine Swimming. “We can’t wait to see local kids and adults enjoy this important new resource with us at the Armory.”
Kings County Tennis League uses tennis as an instrument for youth development and community building in Brooklyn’s underserved neighborhoods. By bringing tennis to kids right where they live, KCTL seeks to build a future in which every child in Brooklyn has regular access to an activity that is healthy, stimulates their personal growth, and exposes them to new concepts, cultures, people and possibilities. KCTL offers year-round tennis programming for kids of all ages, including lessons and educational field trips.
“Our goal is to create a better future in Brooklyn by introducing more young people to the joys and benefits of tennis,” said Michael McCasland of Kings County Tennis League. “New recreational facilities at the Armory will enable us to further that mission by exposing the youth of Crown Heights to new concepts, cultures, people and possibilities.”
The Armory will also include a 330-unit rental housing building with 50 percent affordable housing, as well as new condominiums, of which 20 percent will be affordable to middle-income homeowners. Additionally, the proposed redevelopment also includes new commercial office space offered at discounted rates for local small businesses and non-profits in need of affordable rents.
For more information on the revitalization of the Bedford-Union Armory, visit http://bedfordcourts.com
