Community Board 9’s Land Use Committee on Monday voted a unanimous thumbs down recommendation against the proposed Bedford Union Armory Project at M.S. 161, 400 Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights.
Before the vote, the committee listened to about 50 speeches from community members, elected officials and organization representatives, and then conducted a Q&A with John Valladares, the representative of the developer, BFC, which the city tabbed to redevelop the city-owned site.
The heat of the meeting rose with boos and comments from the crowd while CB 9 member, Michael Liburd reminded the audience to keep it to one conversation at a time.
“You’ll be making money,” said one voice in response to a speech by Casey Baron from Imagine Swimming, one of the non-profits that was offered a space in the 3,500 square foot building.
The plans of the project involved a 99 year lease with Bedford Courts, minus 330 units of housing which the BFC would buy and sell as condominiums. With a vague number of just how many of these units would be affordable, Valladares tripped over his words when CB 9 members asked for a definite number on paper.
“The committee heard tonight from some of the local residents and stakeholders who support revitalizing the Bedford-Union Armory because they want a new recreational center, affordable offices for non-profits and affordable housing in their community,” wrote BFC spokesperson, Sam Spokony in an email. “We are committed to making that a reality and turning the Armory from an empty space into a place that truly serves Crown Heights families.”
With community members furious over the deal’s lack of community allegiance, speakers like Dion Ashman, founder and CEO of Our Gang Productions (OGP), described it as “the purest form of economic racism.”
Many of the community members also vocalized their disappointment in City Council Member Laurie Cumbo‘s (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights) wavering stance on the proposed plan.
While originally backing the plan, Cumbo recently said she will not back the plan any longer. She did not attend the meeting, but issued a statement yesterday praising the committee’s vote.
“As a community, we have reached a pivotal point that will determine the future landscape of Crown Heights – the Bedford Union Armory ULURP process. We have and will continue to voice our opposition to a proposal that will undermine the diversity of our community by displacing the longstanding residents whose contributions have transformed this neighborhood into a vibrant place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Cumbo.
“In particular, I will not support a plan that includes luxury condominiums and grossly overlooks low-income housing at the Bedford Union Armory. I stand united with my constituents to urge Mayor de Blasio to go back to the drawing board and create a new plan that will nurture the growth of our community by investing critical resources to transform the Bedford Union Armory into a multi-use community space with local hiring that includes real, low-income housing; affordable workspaces for nonprofit organizations; and a hub for youth programming,” she added.
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) spokesman Ryan Birchmeier said via email that the meeting provided the government agency in charge of overseeing the project with a range of support and constructive feedback around the Bedford Union Armory project.
“We are committed to delivering a long-awaited community recreational center and badly needed affordable housing to the Crown Heights community and will continue to work with stakeholders to look for ways to make this great project even better,” said Birchmeier
Similar to BFC, the EDC shared less than specific promises to a new plan that will include the community’s concern for more affordable housing, which opponents of the project interrupted as a stall tactic.
“This is just a delay,” said Vaughn Armour, a 17-year resident of Crown Heights and member of New York Communities for Change (NYCC). “We know the mayor wants this to happen.”
