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Community, elected officials still not pleased with Brooklyn armory redevelopment scheme

Bedford-Union Armory

Community, elected officials still not pleased with Brooklyn armory redevelopment scheme

Approvals aren’t looking so hot for the redevelopment of a massive city-owned armory in Brooklyn.

Developer BFC Partners has plans to transform the Bedford-Union Armory, a hulking block-long former military compound in Crown Heights, into luxury condos, affordable, and market-rate rental housing, and a public recreation center. The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), in collaboration with BFC Partners, introduced the current redevelopment project almost two years ago.

Last night, kicking off the Bedford-Union Armory’s public review process, Brooklyn Community Board 9’s land use committee said it can’t support the redevelopment, DNAinfo reported. This is after the area’s city councilperson, Laurie Cumbo, backed off her support of the 542,000-square-foot project.

“This committee has made it clear that we weren’t interested in approving this project in its current form. That includes having condos on public land… given that that’s the case, when are we going to see a presentation that reacts to that?” Michael Liburd, chair of the CB 9 committee, said. “Because this is the same information we’ve had all along.”

To complete its Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), a months-long process, the Bedford-Union Armory redevelopment must earn the support from the community board, Borough President Eric Adams (who conditionally revoked his blessing last month), the City Council, and the Mayor before ground breaks.

Right now, the development includes 330 rentals, half of which would be affordable, but the affordability thresholds do not necessarily reflect the neighborhood’s socioeconomic composition. In light of this mismatch, officials are pushing for a 100 percent affordable development through the ULURP process, while activists want the city to #KillTheDeal entirely:

So what’s next?

The full community board will vote on the project this Monday, June 19. Although the board’s vote is only advisory, its input is considered as the ULURP process moves forward.

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