Bedford-Union Armory redevelopment unanimously rejected by community board

It’s been a downward slide for the Bedford-Union Armory redevelopment project in recent months, and the project got another major thumbs down on Tuesday when the local community board resoundingly voted against it, the Prospect Heights Patch reported.

The full board’s vote follows the land use committee’s vote last week, which also unanimously voted against the redevelopment in its current state.

The developer of the project, BFC Partners, was selected by the city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to convert the armory into 330 rentals, 56 condos, and a massive recreation center with a swimming pool, indoor soccer field, and three basketball courts. BFC Partners agreed to offer half of the rentals and 20 percent of the condos as affordable units, but Crown Heights residents have argued that the project should be fully affordable considering it’s being built on city land.

The community board agreed in some measure at least and offered the developers some suggestions (including more affordable housing) as the project moves forward through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.

It doesn’t look particularly bright on the horizon for this project. The last stage of the ULURP is the City Council, and the council member representing this neighborhood, Laurie Cumbo, has already indicated that she will not support the project in its current form. And even though the de Blasio administration has backed this project, City Council members tend to back the opinion of the council members from that particular neighborhood, which doesn’t bode well for BFC Partners.

The developer however is choosing to stay optimistic.

“We have heard the community and community board’s concerns loud and clear and we are working hard alongside the City and local stakeholders to make this project even better,” a spokesperson for BFC Partners said, in a statement. “We are committed to revitalizing the Armory and making it a place that serves all Crown Heights families, and we are confident that a positive resolution will be reached during the ULURP process and this can become a reality.”

• Bedford-Union Armory Proposal Voted Down By Community Board [Patch]
• Bedford-Union Armory redevelopment loses key backing [Curbed]
• Bedford-Union Armory redevelopment hits roadblock in land use review process [Curbed]