Bx Armory Deal Will Create Nine Ice Rinks

NEW YORK CITY-Vacant for more than a decade, the landmark Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx will be transformed into the world's largest indoor ice facility in a $275-million redevelopment in a deal announced Tuesday by the Bloomberg administration. To be known as the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, the 750,000-square-foot armory at 29 W. Kingsbridge Rd. will house nine indoor year-round ice rinks, one of which will be suitable to host ice hockey and skating events. At present there are only seven such rinks in the city.

Spearheading the redevelopment is KNIC Partners LLC, founded by Kevin Parker, formerly of Deutsche Asset Management, who first proposed the century-old armory's transformation into an ice facility this past summer. In a statement, Parker calls the city's selection of the KNIC plan “the beginning of a new chapter for the historic Kingsbridge Armory.”

The New York City Economic Development Corp. put out an RFP on repurposing the armory in the wake of the City Council's controversial December 2009 vote not to approve the rezoning that would have been necessary for the Related Cos. to redevelop it as retail. That thumbs-down occurred after Related refused to guarantee a so-called living wage of at least $10 per hour for all workers employed at the armory and its retail stores.  

Of the nine ice rinks, five will be located on the main floor and four will be constructed on two platforms elevated approximately 40 feet above the main floor. The facility is expected to be open 365 days a year. Along with the rinks, the facility will feature: a wellness center, dressing rooms and lockers with storage for individual hockey equipment, concession space, retail space for ice sport goods and parking for approximately 480 cars.

KNIC also plans to create a foundation to establish free after-school ice sports and academic tutoring programs for disadvantaged youth. The program will be modeled after the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation in Philadelphia, and will be developed with guidance from hockey legend Mark Messier and Olympic skating gold medalist Sarah Hughes.

Before the groundbreaking, projected for late next year, the redevelopment must go through environmental review as well as the mandatory Uniform Land Use Review Procedure cycle of approvals. The first phase of the project, consisting of five ice rinks, 50,000 square feet of community space, concessions and parking, is expected to be complete by September 2018. The second phase is expected to open by September 2019.