Transcript: Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, NYCEDC, Community Leaders Unveil Vision For Redevelopment Of Historic Kingsbridge Armory, $200 Million Investment In Economic Opportunities For Bronxites

August 8, 2023

Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce: Good morning everyone. Thank you all for joining us on this celebratory day. My name is Maria Torres-Springer. I'm the deputy mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce, and I am just overjoyed to be here today with Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and so many partners in the community and across government as we announce our commitment to the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory and to this community,

This long stalled project. And this building has been underutilized for far too long and our administrations are ready to put the Armory back to work for the people of the Bronx. The Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan will really serve as a roadmap to transform this building into an economic engine for local jobs and a true asset for the community. I'd like to thank all of the members of the Kingsbridge Community Working Group, as well as partners across government, in particular, the president of New York City Economic Development Corporation, Andrew Kimball and his entire team for the tremendous effort leading up to today. And to get us started, I'd now like to introduce a true leader for our state, a true champion for this borough and a partner across so many matters, please join me in welcoming the governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul.

Governor Kathy Hochul: Good morning. Really, that's all you're going to give me? This isn't the Boogie Down Bronx? A little more energy, birthplace of hip hop down the block. I mean, come on. Thank you, Yudelka. Thank you. Thank you. This morning we stand inside a fortress that was built to keep people out, but the vision we unveil today will unlock the gates of the castle and create a new destination to welcome people in. And how did that happen? Well, instead of a community standing on their own left with this hulking reminder of indifference and neglect, today we stand united, states, city, borough, community. Thank you.

United by a sense of urgency, united by a sense that we need to do something to right the wrongs of the past. United by a belief that this place, this special place, as I said, literally a block from the birthplace of hip hop half a century ago, has a chance to reborn itself. And that's music to my ears, and I want to thank everyone who's been so involved in this. Our mayor has that same sense of urgency that I wake up every day with, that we only get a certain number of days literally walking this earth to make a difference in our communities. This community has cried out for so long, for just attention and someone to understand. We need to help unlock its full potential. Mayor Adams, thank you for spearheading this project. You and your economic development team have done an amazing job.

Andrew Kimball, thank you. Thank you. Deputy mayor, thank you. And for working so closely with my team, Empire State Development and James Katz and Hope Knight. It's that teamwork that has not always been there, that exists powerfully today. We also are joined by our Congressman Adriano Espaillat, who I've been coming to this borough for a decade, we never came here once without him whispering two things in my air. Second Avenue subway, okay. I got it. Message delivered. And Kingsbridge Armory, so you never gave up. I want to thank you for your passion for this project and for your beloved borough.

Jamaal Bowman, our Congressman, thank you so much. Jamaal Bowman, are you here? Jamaal? Okay, how could I miss you? Good to see you, Congressman, and great to have you in this wonderful place as well. Senator Robert Jackson. This is your district. This is going to be transformational. Assembly Member George Alvarez. Thank you for what you're doing, your great representation. And also this happened because of engaging a community. A community that was so desirous to be at the table, feeling that they had a real voice that mattered. And Pierina Sanchez, our Council member, you made it happen. I want to thank you. Thank you for the work you did.

Also, Sandra Lobo, the executive director of the Northwest Bronx Community Center and Clergy. Thank you Sandra. Thank you for making this your passion project. And also, I know our borough president is well-represented here today, but Vanessa Gibson is another person who I could not step foot in the Bronx without her telling me how important this was to her person. I want to recognize her for her friendship. So this building is extraordinary, the largest armory in the nation. We don't do things small. This is New York City. We're always going to have the largest, the best. And when this was completed, we had a purpose, a military purpose in a residential community. But when you come here, you don't want to think about the past. You want to think about the future and the great potential.

We knew we could do something here. And I know that there's this sense of we've been there before. You've heard about projects before. People elected officially have stood here in this space declaring it's a new day. We have a new vision and things are going to happen. They said the same thing. They had the same mission, they had the same enthusiasm, right? We got some yeses to that. Is that an amen over there? But they failed. They failed to do something with this fading fortress. It's been vacant, unused primarily for almost 30 years. A baby born that time when the military walked away, may even have their own children today. A whole generation has passed and nothing happened. Time and time again, promises are made, grand plans unveiled, and you said you've heard it all. Great ideas. There were some, those would be schools. There's going to be a shopping area, workforce development, world's largest indoor skating rink. And none of it happened. So it is a new day.

I do understand any skeptics, but never before has there been this unprecedented collaboration between the city, state and community in pursuit of one vision. And this is what I've said to our leaders when I came to visit, I said to Vanessa, I said to the Congressman: "You come up with a plan based on what the community wants, and we'll put the money there. That's what the state can do. We can help realize dreams by writing a big check." And I know this is important to our leaders, especially our Assembly leader, Carl Heastie, the speaker who hails from the Bronx, and Andrea Stewart-Cousins, leader of the Senate, who knows how important these projects are to her members, but also their communities. So never before did we have unprecedented dollars coming from the state, matched with the city. We're going toe to toe here, mayor. Don't raise the bar here. We're good. Right? We're good. This is not a challenge grant. None of that. $100 million from both of us to be the catalyst to jumpstart this that will make the difference. That'll make the difference.

And so the message we receive from the faith leaders, from the community activists, the moms and dads, and whose kids are in schools here, everybody talked about this. And what I'm here to talk about is don't judge us by what we say today, judge us by what our cooperation in just less than two years, a year and a half has already unfolded. We had a 40 point plan work together by our teams for a better, fairer, more equitable New York. We just unveiled that six months ago. Hold us to that. We're moving forward. We got Kips Bay, first of its kind. Life sciences, it'll create thousands of jobs where there were none. And today, once again, cooperation, a word everyone should get used to here in the State of New York. We're about to unveil a shared vision. So what can we possibly do here?

Let's look at the industries of the future. Emerging technologies, sustainable manufacturing, urban agriculture, film and TV production. This has so much potential and developers are aware. We start going out for the RFP and I love the urgency and the timeframe of this. I looked at when this is all supposed to happen. RFP going out in September, results back in December. So by the end of this year, we'll have at least people engaged. One year from then, there'll be a decision made. So that's who we're talking about. That is what I call fast tracking. Because we have been slow tracking for far too long. We can have vocational training, small business enterprises, arts and cultural events, recreation, health service. There's no limit to what we can do in this magnificent space. And so I also want to make sure that labor is at the table.

Labor, our partners who've built this city for over a century and a half, that they know we understand how important they are. So I expect that a project labor agreement will be in place before any work starts. That is our commitment. We'll make sure that that happens. So there'll be good paying union jobs coming out of this community. So it's not just a dream. It's going to become a reality and I'm looking forward to coming back again. I'll be here for the milestones and to let this community know that I too come from a place not as populated, but often underestimated a place where people gave up on themselves because others kind of looked down on them. That's from Buffalo. A lot of my friends in the Bronx say that's kind of how they felt for a long time. This is how we also make up for lost time.

Give people hope again. Did I not mention Senator Bailey was here too? I'm looking right at you. Senator Bailey, how did I miss you? I missed you in the acknowledgements. Our great senator, Jamaal Bailey, who I just was sitting down with talking about his vision for the Bronx. So I'm going to continue investing in the Bronx. We broke ground on $3 billion to add four Metro North stations in East Bronx. People can get to good paying jobs, even reverse commutes, people wanting to come to this vibrant community. It's the biggest Metro North expansion. We're improving connections around Hunts Point $1.7 billion for an on-time under budget project, taking thousands of trucks off the streets of the Bronx to protect the health of our kids. That's what we're focused on. And $72 million just announced for affordable housing in Fordham Heights. This is just what we've done recently, and I'm committed to continuing this partnership because this is what people have deserved all along.

Leaders who work together. Yes, there's challenges, but we are stronger when there are two versus one. And that's how I view my job as governor in partnership with this Mayor and with everyone here today. So we'll not disappoint you. Again, we're not going to break your hearts. I don't want to hip hop's lyrics written about breaking hearts and bad things happening. Okay? This is going to be a wonderfully positive story and we're going to make a difference in people's lives. That's what we're doing here today. Restoring faith in government, something I said I wanted do from the very first day. With that, let me introduce my partner, someone who shares again, that sense of urgency that not everyone has, that we must act immediately. And this has been crying out for 30 years for the attention that it's starting to receive today under the leadership of our great Mayor Eric Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you so much, governor. Just a real pleasure. As we really navigate the turbulent waters of the times and move the city, the state, this government in the right direction. And you have been truly a partner on so many of these issues. From the days of Covid to our Subway Safety Plan to economic development, blueprint for turnaround, bringing back 99.9 percent of the jobs that we lost pre-pandemic, just has been a real, real pleasure serving with you. And I think history is going to be kind on how we came together to move our states forward. And just some of my electors here, can I say enough about them? Listen, sometimes we're on philosophical different pages, but we're in the same goddamn book. It's about turning the city around and that's what it's about. And it's chapter after chapter after chapter. And the goal is not to believe that we're always going to agree, but we have to agree on one thing.

Too many people have been left behind and abandoned, and I know it far too well. So I do want to add and make sure my voice is to acknowledge Senator Robert Jackson and Assemblyman George Alvarez, Senator Jamaal Bailey, who has fought so hard for the Bronx, Assembly Member Karines Reyes and Assembly Member Jeffrey Dinowitz, and my girl, Assemblywoman Tapia, and for all that we're doing. I hope I see you tonight down at the Dominican celebration. And Councilwoman Sanchez for just really constantly knowing the importance of this moment and fighting hard to make this happen. In conversations I had from the day I was elected, you talked about this gym here and what we can do with it. Councilwoman Marjorie Velázquez, Congressman Bowman, fighting hard in Congress as you bring the leverage. We're going to need so much from our congressional delegation. And my brother, Congressman Espaillat, historic Congressman, first Dominican to elevate to that position and really understanding the clarity of what was needed.

You were laser focused on making sure we can get this right, and I think the history books are going to be kind for what you have done and what you will continue to do. We are going to make sure this project comes to fruition and others tried. Who are we kidding? Others tried. Just like others tried to develop Governor's Island. We did it. Others tried to get the NYCHA Land Trust. We did it. Others tried to raise the wages for earned income tax credits for low income New Yorkers. We did it. Others tried to do dyslexia screening. We did it. Others tried to do so much. We did it. Others tried to bring down crime in the Bronx. We are doing it. Others tried to build housing. We are doing it. Others tried to put people into homes with FHEPS.

We had the largest number in the history of the program under this administration. We're doing it every day and we're doing it because we're not going to be distracted by the noise. We are committed to doing it, and that's why the timeline is fast because we believe in GSD, Get Stuff Done. This is not a 40-year role as mayor. This is a four-year cycle. I got to get it done now. I can't wait to see what's going to happen later. We got to get it done now, and bureaucracy has been in the way far too long. Every time we say, "Let's do something," people come up with a reason why we can't do it. We want to kick the can down the road. It's not happening in this administration. Bold visions, unafraid to try. And you know what? Sometimes we're going to fail, that's right. But so what? We all fail. It's about being perfectly imperfect, but we are dedicated, and you're not going to have a more dedicated administration, and the legacy that we're going to leave is going to show how you govern cities of this level of complexity.

And so, Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer, Andrew Kimball, two dream teams, what you are doing is unbelievable, and what you're doing across this city and the vision that you have. I knew I was right when I had the first Filipino American to be the deputy mayor in the city of New York, I knew I was right for doing that. And so, we came to office, we were clear, working people first, first blue-collar union member to be the mayor of the City of New York, probably in the history of the city. I need to check everybody else's credentials. I don't know if we've ever had a blue-collar mayor before, so I'm clear on the needs of blue-collar people.

The redevelopment of Kingsbridge Armory has been attempted two times, and now we're going to get it done, and we're going to do it right. In November 2022, we sat down with the community, and asked the needs. Sandra, the team, we went to these meetings. I remember sitting in these meetings, and hearing directly from the community, and getting their feedback and input. The community asked for it, and we listened, and now we're delivering. Kingsbridge Armory has the possibility of becoming a beacon of employment, entrepreneurship and opportunity. And the city has committed $100,000,000 dollars to get this done in partnership with the state, $100,000,000 to get this done.

Our vision is focused on providing opportunities for surrounding neighborhoods, because what good is it to build this structure if we don't have a plan for the neighborhoods that's around this structure? That is what our vision is going to do. The plan has the potential to create over 1,800 jobs for Bronx sites, and up to $10 billion in economic impact. This can be the anchor for the Bronx. We get this right here, it can cascade throughout the entire borough, with employment opportunities, education, supporting local businesses, local jobs, and promote local economic growth.

And from the very onset of our planning this project, we had, as the governor mentioned, labor at the table with the Central Labor Council, and Local 79 on the community working groups. The commitments we make today provide prevailing wage standards and other labor protection to create good paying union jobs. That is our focus, that is what we are driving for, and that is what we're going to continue to do. And it's no secret, 78 percent of the union jobs and city employees, we signed their contracts with 90 percent to 95 percent ratification numbers, making sure we uplift blue-collar working New Yorkers. And so, we're proud of what we're doing.

And then, look at the Bronx. Congressman talks about it all the time, Jamaal talks about it all the time, both Congressmen speak about it all the time. 30 percent of the residents in the area have incomes below the New York City poverty line. And it's not this year, it's not last year, this has been a consistent pattern, 8 percent unemployment, over and over again. We looked at these numbers and nothing was done about it for so many generations, and now you have a team of electeds that are focused on turning these numbers around. For too long, this community has been forgotten and underinvested in. For too long, government has made promises and broken them. And I saw my brother, Councilman Salamanca, walked in, and how he pushed through the money we needed for Hunts Point Farmers Market, and I want to thank you for that and the development of the park in the area.

All of this madness of forgetting the Bronx ends today, together, the Kingsbridge Vision Plan. And so, to all of you who are here today, to all of our partners, the governor, the Congressmen who are here, the elected state and city elected officials, we want to thank you in our community. Sandra, job well done for pushing this forward, and allowing the community to have the voice that they deserve. We've all worked tirelessly, and although she's not here today, we want to thank the leader of this borough, the Bronx borough president, Vanessa Gibson, her deputy is here.

We are proud of this plan. We're going to get this done. This is a legacy project, something that all of us can be proud of. The seed we plant today is going to produce a tree, and the fruits of that harvest is going to feed a borough that has starved for far too long. I got it, Bronx. I've been up in this borough probably more than any other male, walking through these streets, talking to the people one-on-one, during the day, during the night, responding to crime scenes, going to fires, seeing the new businesses that are opening, pushing through broadband into our NYCHA development. I know this borough, and most importantly, this borough knows me.

Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer: Thank you. Thank you, I appreciate that. Mayor talks a lot about emotional intelligence, that was very, very kind of you. Thank you, Congress member. Thank you, Mayor Adams, for your incredible leadership, and Governor Hochul for your incredible leadership. Andrew and I, together with Hope Knight and with James Katz, at the state, have had the wild fortune, unlike some of our predecessors, to be able to benefit from the unprecedented partnership between the mayor of New York City and the governor of New York State, and that could only be positive for the people of the city.

I did just want, before introducing our next speaker, to share a few more details about our vision plan and how we plan to implement it. The Kingsbridge community working group identified two sets of priorities, some guiding principles, and also priority uses for the armory. The guiding principles reflect the community's vision for what a successful redevelopment of this armory should address, while the priority uses identify our growing sectors of our economy, as the governor mentioned. They include film and TV, emerging technologies, sustainable manufacturing, and urban agriculture. But importantly, as Mayor Adams mentioned, it's not just about what happens inside this structure. It's about all of the complimentary uses and services and programs that really address the needs and aspirations of local residents and small businesses.

So all of these principles and the uses are captured in this vision plan, and next month, we will be releasing a request for proposals to seek partners in this endeavor. By next year, we will select who those partners are, quickly go into the public approval process, and break ground, with any luck, by 2027. And I know that we're not going to need a lot of luck because of the team that's assembled here today. We'll make sure that we keep to our very aggressive timeline.

Speaking of making sure that we're accountable to the community and to local leaders' vision, I'd like to introduce an all too familiar name to this community, and of course, longtime advocate and champion for the armory's redevelopment, please join me in welcoming Congress Member Adriano Espaillat.

US Representative Adriano Espaillat: Boy, mayor, $100 million from the city? Take note. And another $100 million dollars from the state? And by the way, Senator Rivera was very diligent in getting that $100 million  to be a loan, and now it's not just a loan, it's a grant. And so $200 million. If you take a look at what happened in Harlem with the empowerment zone, hundreds of millions of dollars were placed there, but that was for a whole district. This is $200 million for this building. It's got to be the biggest investment for one site from government in the history of the Bronx. It's got to be. And so, I am so proud and happy for what the governor and Mayor Adams have done, and only working together with the maturity that government requires of us, can we get this accomplished, so we thank you.

And in all the years that I've been in government, I haven't been as excited for several projects as this one and Second Avenue Subway. Maybe, Governor, we can connect Second Avenue subway here. I'm only kidding. So when I retire in 2050, when the young Council members here, they get the goosebumps, I'll be able to look back and see what went on here with pride, because this is a neighborhood that got hammered by the pandemic. It may have been the epicenter of the Covid-19 pandemic in the entire country.

When we came out with our mask on, sometimes you get the stuff from Facebook reeling back a couple of years, and you say, "Wow, what we went through was unbelievable." When we came out looking for a test site, it was right down the block, right across Lehman College, the parking lot there, because it was the hardest hit zip codes, and the vaccination sites, and everything that was done by government, the epicenter was right here.

So this is not a local project, that's not how I see it. This is not even a national project. This is an international project, one that will tell the rest of the world that the Bronx, the epicenter of the pandemic, is back, and that we are leading the way, and we need, yes, through the RFP process, folks to step up and say, "Yeah, we're going to plant our flag and we're going to die on this hill, we're going to make it work."

And equity and inclusion, which is an important component of the White House initiatives, and by the way, we brought here the secretary of Labor and also the Department of Commerce, because we cannot do it unless the Federal government is also involved in this. It's got to be city, state, and federal. And equity, which is a big agenda for the governor, and the central piece for Mayor Adams, how do you bring those neighborhoods up that have been chronically left behind? Well, this is it. And you're going to have the naysayers, and you're going to have people that are going to second guess this. But in this 50th anniversary of hip hop, we will get it done. We will get it done.

And so, thank you, Mayor Adams, thank you, Governor. Our great city councilwoman, Pierina Sanchez, who's a star. You look at the constellation, one of those little babies up there, that's her. And our assembly member, George Alvarez, and our senator, Robert Jackson, and Jamaal Bailey, who's all about the Bronx. 

And we're going to bring in Bowman too, 'cause we can't just leave him out there, he's with us too.

And so, they're all working together. Yudelka Tapia, Dinowitz, City Council and state, all of you are critical. And Andrew, I know I've been harassing you for far too long, but thank you, thank you for your commitment, and all of you. And this is going to be something to watch. We are in this together, and this is an important project, not just for the Bronx, but for the country and the world. [Speaks in Spanish.] Thank you.

Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer: Thank you, Congress member. Now, I would like to call up one of the co-chairs of the Kingsbridge Community Working Group, and your local Council member, and the star in this constellation, Council Member Pierina Sanchez.

City Council Member Pierina Sanchez: I told him to say that. No, I didn't. Wow, good morning. Good morning. I can't contain... You're going to see all of my teeth, all of them, I'm just so, so floored today, governor, thank you. I remember waddling to you, very, very pregnant last year, and we were having lunch and you asked about priorities for the Bronx, and you said, "Tell me what you all want and we will invest." Thank you, governor. Mayor Adams, my brother, who's a martial artist, is very excited that you are also a martial artist. And this commitment today that you are making on behalf of the City of New York with the state, it's unprecedented, and I am just so incredibly grateful to you.

I'm going to do the roll call, because this working group has been mentioned a few times. This working group that has met nearly a dozen times, that has engaged 4,000 members of our community, 4,000 people that so many outside of our community write off, and say, "They don't participate, they don't show up, they don't vote." Yes, they do. They came to this armory, they spoke out at our events, and they said, "The armory's future is ours to decide." So to the community working group who made this happen, thank you so much.

To my co-chair from Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition, Sandra Lobo, thank you. Of course, Mayor Adams, the governor, our Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer, President Kimball from EDC, Congress Member Adriano Espaillat, Borough President,Vanessa Gibson, represented today by Deputy Borough President Janet Paquero. Speaker Adams, who has put in $12 million, together with me and our office, seed funding for the remediation of the armory, because now we have $200 million. Senator Robert Jackson, Senator Gustavo Rivera, Assembly Member George Alvarez, Community Board Seven, Dominicanos USA, Gardiner Foundation, Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, Mekong New York City, Central Labor Council, Local Union 79, the Burnside-Jerome-Tremont Merchant Association, the Kingsbridge Road Merchant Association, Our Lady of Angels Parish, helping us to bring in so many faith institutions. Lehman College, Monroe College, Community School District 10 Leaders, Urban Justice Center with the Street Vendor Project, the Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative, the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, Bronx Group, and so many of our electives that are here today, because this is not just about Kingsbridge, this is about the Bronx and New York City. Representative Bowman, Senator Bailey, Assembly Member Dinowitz, Council Member Dinowitz, Assembly Member Tapia, Council Member Velasquez, Council Member Salamanca. This is a united effort.

Since 1917, this building has been many things. Home to 10,000 troops right here in this drill hall where we sit during World War II. Offices for the UN in the '40s and '50s while the permanent digs for the UN where it being completed downtown. A venue for hip hop concerts because the birthplace of hip hop was a few blocks away, but you couldn't contain it and it had to have a bigger home. Movies have been filmed here. Emergencies have been responded to from here. But for me, this is deeply personal and I can't thank the mayor and the governor enough for this investment, for seeing the opportunity in this majestic building that I used to look up at every day as a little girl running by, growing up in its shadow. And I used to have my brothers here doing ROTC when they were in high school.

And for a short while, I would come by and pick up my brother after ROTC, we would watch our telenovelas and I just remember looking around and saying, "What is this? What is this building? It's so beautiful, it's so large, it's so majestic. What is it doing for us?" And so the community investment, the state and the city investment into the Armory is not just an investment in a moment, in a building, it is an investment in a people, in a people who have so much potential, so much to give and so much to be. It is for Kingsbridge, it is for Fordham, it is for 183rd, it is for Burnside, it's for Tremont, it is for Hunts Point, it is for the East Bronx, it is for all of us. Today, mayor, governor, all of our colleagues in government, you are saying and we are saying together to the people, "We have your back."

Now, as a mother raising my own kid in this neighborhood, I'm filled with pride knowing that our next generation of children are going to grow up not in a West Bronx where they have to wonder, what is this beautiful castle? What is happening inside? But they're going to be part of its redevelopment, they're going to be part of its future. Now we mentioned who the partners were and we mentioned what we need to see here. And the devil will be in the details, we will have to work out a couple of things as we move forward in this process, but we know that this is going to be a catalyst for economic transformation. We know as the mayor and governor have said that we are going to build this with labor, we expect a project labor agreement, we expect the community's priorities, community ownership to be featured in this redevelopment plan. So let's work to change this metaphor, to say that a beautiful, majestic structure should not be vacant inside, just like a community that is vibrant and beautiful and thriving must be invested in. Thank you.

Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer: Thank you so much, Council member. Now I would like to bring up Deputy Borough President Janet Peguero to share remarks on behalf of Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.

Bronx Deputy Borough President Janet Paquero: [Speaks in Spanish.] Good morning. Thank you so much, deputy mayor. As mentioned, my name is Janet Peguero and I have the assignment of serving as your Deputy Bronx Borough President. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning on behalf of our Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. I want to first thank our Madam Governor. You said it, I cannot stop speaking about the Kingsbridge Armory. Exactly a year ago you called the meeting on a Sunday morning with the women members of the Bronx Delegation and in that meeting, as the council member mentioned, you asked us to share our priorities.

The borough president and the councilwoman shared with you that in the administration's blueprint for the borough, we shared that the Kingsbridge Armory was at the top of our list, that it has the potential of becoming and serving as the lead economic engine for our borough. And here we are, a year later, gathered here today to hear about your investments. We are so eternally grateful. Thank you for keeping your word, thank you for prioritizing the Bronx and thank you for prioritizing this district right here in Kingsbridge Heights.

And I want to also thank our mayor. Mr. Mayor, thank you for your relentless commitment to the Bronx. As you mentioned, we love seeing you here, Mr. Mayor, and your continuous presence speaks to your administration's priorities. You were here when we kicked off the Together for Kingsbridge Initiative and you have been a strong supporter of the community's work and vision. And today's announcement speaks to your priority of equity. This is a development, as mentioned, that has the potential of transforming not just Kingsbridge Heights, but the entire borough of the Bronx. We heard from our councilwoman and the data speaks for itself. It tells the story of who we are and where we're going. It speaks to the history of the Bronx and it is no coincidence that is happening at the peak of our celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip hop. Because to our community, we are committed regardless of the years of historic disinvestment.

In just nine months, we were able to reach over 4,000 residents with a process that was carefully curated to ensure the voices of our community. We were committed to youth and we reached a great deal of students through lectures, group projects and civic engagement initiatives with our local public schools. And for the very first time, we also opened the doors of the Armory to the public. This was the first time in history that the community was able to fully visualize and experience the castle that has been sitting silent in their backyard. Today's investment is historic. It sends a clear message to future developers that we are serious about re-imagining the Kingsbridge Armory for us, by us. We are serious about community, we're serious about local investments and we're not playing around when it comes to our borough. Our borough president stands firm in calling the Bronx the borough of opportunities. And this development and today's historic announcement and investments serves as evidence to support this statement.

So again, I thank you Madam Governor, I thank you, Mr. Mayor for today's announcement, for your investment in the armory. The Community Working Group, led by our councilwoman, Sandra Lobo, our fearless community leader, the Executive Director of the Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition. You are the driving force behind the vision plan. To NYCEDC and our deputy mayor, our president, Andrew Kimball, you built a stellar team. From Nate to Fernando, who's humbly known as Mr. Kingsbridge, there's no other community engagement and neighborhood plan that has had the credit the way that we've seen it. And to all of my colleagues in government, your advocacy has been made loud and clear. We extend gratitude to all the advocates and community leaders for their unwavering support and advocacy for the Kingsbridge Armory. Together, we will get it done because if it wasn't for the Bronx? Come on. [Speaks in Spanish.] Kingsbridge, thank you.

Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer: Thank you so much, Deputy BP. Finally, I would like to bring up someone who has been described this morning as a driving force, and this is certainly true, behind the community's vision. She is co-chair of the Community Working Group and the Executive Director of course, for the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition. Please join me in welcoming Sandra Lobo.

Sandra Lobo, Executive Director, Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition: Thank you, deputy mayor, Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams and other elected officials who have made this investment possible and who are here in support. Good afternoon, Bronx community.

My name is Sandra Lobo, executive director of the Northwest Bronx Community Clergy Coalition. A 49-year-old grassroots community led organization that is committed to racial justice and economic democracy. I'm also proud to serve as co-chair alongside Council Member Pierina Sanchez, leading the EDCs Together for Kingsbridge Visioning Process. It's been a pleasure. The first time I connected with this building was as a young, first generation college student, a fish out of water at a Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition action where young people were organizing around overcrowding schools and looking at this empty castle, wondering why they did not have access to it. That was nearly 30 years ago. My oldest now is in college and we continue to organize to ensure that our young people will get to see this project and that it will serve the benefits of the community. We are standing here today on efforts of thousands of community members and our commitment is that this will invest in our people.

It is important to acknowledge this critical moment. We've had many critical moments in the organizing of the Kingsbridge Armory over the last several decades, where community members and allied partners have been fighting to transform this site. Our community has worked so hard to bring equitable economic development to the Bronx. $200 million is a significant investment from the governor and the mayor and it's a commitment to a development site that has been abandoned for a long time. A site that we see as a community asset that the Northwest Bronx has been organizing around for nearly three decades. The potential of this investment is particularly meaningful in the context of the borough's long history of redlining, disinvestment and abandonment. We are encouraged by this announcement and want to acknowledge that the project's success will be determined by whether this investment ensures that our values of community ownership, of union jobs, shared wealth building and collective governance are realized.

In this most recent process, we engaged thousands of community stakeholders who shared their concerns, their aspirations and their priorities over the process and the actual development. All of the working group members, including Our Lady of Angels, who's here today, and Dominicanos USA and many others, have worked incredibly hard to make this process an inclusive one. We put aside challenges from the past and centered those most impacted. We brought together faith, labor and community institutions alongside young people, tenants, homeowners, small businesses and other stakeholders who created a powerful vision for our community and the Kingsbridge Armory. Our community has made it clear that we cannot pursue economic development as usual and that what will make this project long-lasting, impactful and successful is investment in a set of core values. Our Bronx deserves that this $200 million investment contribute towards just labor standards, ensuring a project labor agreement then honors the contributions and dignity of the workers that build it, maintain it and sustain it. Our Bronx deserves the $200 million investment to be directed at community hiring, local workforce development and state certified apprenticeships that help build career pathways for our residents.

Our Bronx deserves this investment to support a project that builds community ownership through shared revenue generation, worker cooperatives and collective governance over our economic assets. Our Bronx deserves this investment to go to a project that invests in young people, in our workers, our small businesses and so many others who have helped build this borough. We have learned from these most recent challenging times that investing in our workers and our community members that make this borough and city run is the most strategic and successful way to create stability and sustainability for our families and our neighborhoods. We applaud the progress that this investment signals and affirm that its true impact will be determined by whether this development project invests in community ownership and union jobs. In other words, our people, our workers and our community. I look forward to partnering with city and state officials and agencies to realize this vision and ensure that the Bronx gets what the Bronx deserves. A catalytic development project that becomes a model for community ownership and worker centered economic development across the state and the country. Let's make history. Whose Armory?

Audience: Our Armory.

Lobo: Whose Armory?

Audience: Our Armory.

Lobo: Thank you.

Deputy Mayor Torres-Springer: Thank you so much, Sandra. Thanks to everyone for joining us here this morning. Congratulations to all of our partners. At this point, I'd like to invite back the mayor and the governor and to invite Andrew Kimball for some question and answers.

Question: How's it going? I'm not an expert on this, but my understanding was that there was already money set aside for the project here predating this announcement. Could you just elaborate on where the money's coming from, both on the city and state side and how that drives with what was set aside before in previous iterations of the redevelopment?

Andrew Kimball, President, Economic Development corporation: Sure. I'm happy to answer that. So two things that distinguish this effort that were mentioned today. One is the unbelievable community process. 4,000 folks engaged the leadership of Sandra and Council Member Sanchez in doing that. And two, very significant grant contributions from the city and the state. And the reason I say grant is the money I think you're referencing was for a past project that turned out to not be financially viable, in which there was the potential for a state loan in that, that now has been converted to a grant thanks to the governor's leadership and puts us in a much more positive position to have a successful outcome when we put out an RFP and invite the private sector to join us in this effort.

Question: Can you please speak to what the labor standards would be for this project and elaborate on that a little bit more?

Kimball: Yeah, as many referenced, but most importantly, the governor at the beginning and then the mayor, they're going to be the highest labor standards for this project. It is our expectation that there is a project labor agreement on this project, and both the construction and the long-term jobs in the building are union jobs.

Mayor Adams: And it should be very important to point out that a part of labor should equal what we accomplished in Albany local hiring. That needs to be acknowledged with the lawmakers in Albany, because far too long we watch buildings go up, the future of the people in the community go down. We were able to get local hiring agreements and that is going to pair with what we are doing when we say project labor agreements and union hiring. We need people in the community to participate in the hiring that takes place in their neighborhoods, and kudos to Albany for helping us push that bill forward.

Question: [Inaudible] what it takes to ensure that [inaudible] has been selected [inaudible]?

Kimball: Part of having an RFP process is going out to the private sector and seeing how they will meet the goals for the community vision that's been laid out through the Kingsbridge Visioning process. We look forward to those responses. Again, as I said, what is so unique at this moment and why we believe we're going to get it right is that the mayor and the governor have stepped up with this enormous commitment and we have a community vision that's very clear on what they would like to see here. So the private sector then has the opportunity to respond to that obviously through an RFP. We hope we get multiple bids and have very, very strong competition and come out with an outcome that will be financially viable and also meet the goals of the community.

Question: Mr. Mayor, governor, while you are considering what the best use for spaces is and how to maximize down the road, is this a place that you have ever or would consider housing some of the asylum seekers? [Inaudible]. And governor, what would your view be about that? Are there any other spaces that you're looking at helping the city with?

[Crosstalk.]

Mayor Adams: There's some real issues with the environment in here that we need to make sure no matter where we house asylum seekers, they're human beings and we are going to do it where it's not going to impact on their short-term or long-term health and safety. And because of those environmental issues here, this is not something that is on our map right now on our radar. We'll do some off-topic.

Governor Hochul: I'll just respond to that. This was on our list initially, but as the mayor said, there are rather serious environmental issues that have to be overcome at great expense and time. So that's why we directed our attention to other state assets and have been for many months ensuring that they are safe environments. We're looking at Creedmoor. We're looking at Randalls Island. We're looking at what we did in investing in the cleanup of the Lincoln Correctional Facility in Harlem to house people, what we did at the JFK hangar to prepare for that. And also we are aggressively, persistently asking for use of Floyd Bennett Field, for example, as a resource for us. And I'm hoping to receive an answer from the White House very soon on that issue as well. We continue to search for sites. One would look at this and say it's ideal, but unfortunately the neglect over three decades has resulted in unsustainable environment for these individuals.

Mayor Adams: How are you?

Question: Good. What resources is the state providing to the city to cope with the influx of migrant students expected in the upcoming fall semester? How many kids are you expecting and what does that anticipated cost look like?

Mayor Adams: We are going to give the new adjusted cost. I believe tomorrow the team is going to be giving those numbers. And we had a meeting yesterday with state officials so we can make sure those young people who are up in the northern part of the state are receiving the support that they need. And the Department of Education did an amazing job of absorbing thousands of children into our current department of education structure. The exact dollar amounts, we'll be giving those dollar amounts tomorrow.

Question: Is the state providing any…

Mayor Adams: Hold on.

Question: Is the state providing any resources to the city?

Mayor Adams: Yes. Yes, they are.

Question: Hi. Yes.

Mayor Adams: How are you, Kelly?

Question: Good. How are you?

Mayor Adams: Good.

Question: I was going to ask you, what type of resources are the city's lawyers aiming to request from the state when it comes to what they need to help with the migrants? The governor was just here. How often are you meeting with her and talking to her…

Mayor Adams: Okay. And while I answer that question, can we have those that are going to ask questions, you can come up and be the honorary mayor, Congressman, governor and sit in the front seat, because I can't hear you guys back there. I think Kelly, I think your question was how much resources?

Question: Yes. [Inaudible].

Mayor Adams: Everybody but Michael Gardner.

Question: Do you have any idea of what the lawyers are hoping to request [inaudible] in that letter that they have to send on the ninth? And then also, how often are you personally speaking to the governor about what they need from her and are you asking her to step up when it comes to [inaudible]?

Mayor Adams: The governor has stepped up. Thanks to my state lawmakers, they have put $1 billion into the budget, the use of the National Guards, the use of other spaces paying for the tents that we're going to do on Randalls Island and others. I communicate regularly with the governor around this ever evolving crisis that we're facing with the migrants, almost a hundred thousand to date. And I recall last year when we were at 15,000 telling folks that we need to get this under control because we could potentially get a hundred thousand. Well, now we're here. And the judge gave us an order. The Corporation Council is now handling what the judge told us to do. And we're going to continue to speak with the state as we try to navigate this.

But it's also our other counties upstate. We believe our other counties upstate have obligations. New York City's the economic engine of not only this country but the state. And we believe everyone should step up and play a role in this crisis that New York City has been carrying for the most part on its own.

Question: Hi, Mr. Mayor.

Mayor Adams: How are you?

Question: I'm wondering what you thought about Massachusetts governor, Maura Healey, declaring a state of emergency today on the migrant crisis, also calling on President Biden to expedite work population. Do you think another democratic governor ramping up pressure will finally get the White House to act?

Mayor Adams: Those of you who cover this office, you remember last year I took a lot of criticism. People thought I was attacking the party and I was not. I was attacking the process. This is not humane what we are watching right now, and all of us should be concerned about how we're treating people in this country that we are calling migrant and asylum seekers, but they're still human beings.

And I'm not removed from this. I'm very closely involved. I'm at the HERRCs, spent the night in a HERRC talking to them. And one of the most damaging aspects of what's happening here is talking to that spouse who saw her husband commit suicide. And I believe it had a lot to do with what he was feeling.

And so I think Democratic governors and mayors, mayors in Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, here in New York, El Paso, Brownsville, all of the mayors have been saying that this is a national problem and we need national leadership. And I think that we all should be talking about this in a very real way. And there was a moment that I felt as though was I the only one that was seeing this, was this administration, Deputy Mayor William-Isom, Zach Iscol, the thousands of New Yorkers who we're dealing with every day. I was asking myself, are we the only ones that are seeing what's happening to human beings?

And listen, let's be honest, many people in the media ignored this until people were sleeping out in front of the Roosevelt. I've been saying this for almost a year. This is going to spill over. And many of you were not writing about… Some did, but many was just acting like we were just making this up and we weren't making this up.

Question: Mr. Mayor, going back to Randalls Island.

Mayor Adams: Yes.

Question: The HERRC went up, came down. Any concerns of that happening here? Also, why not build back on the parking lot of Randalls Island instead of the soccer field?

Mayor Adams: Okay, first, when we built Randalls Island last year, we had 15,000 migrants, asylum seekers, 15,000. We are now at 97,000. And so because it's such a moving process, what we have to do is utilize the expertise of Zach Iscol, the commissioner of Emergency Management, who has done an amazing job. We have to have him do an analysis. What's the best place for us to do it? How large are we going to do it? And this is what he decided. I got a great team. I trust my team. They got us this far without one child or family sleeping on the street. No other city can say what we're saying. And so if he determines the space that he's using must be used, that's the space we're going to use because I trust him and I trust the team that they put together.

Question: Mr. Mayor, is the state providing the staffing and the build out, is that coming out of the billion or is that new dollars and therefore some money the city doesn't have to spend?

Mayor Adams: Of my understanding, it's new dollars.

Question: In response to the education question, are you going to hire new teachers to teach ESL students to try to speak the language they're coming into?

Mayor Adams: We are going to look at our budget and see everything that we can do to give young people the ability to be part of this country and city. Now remember, next year we are on the eve of the fiscal cliff. Monies are going to start drying up. We're dealing with a real economic challenge here, and this is also an opportunity for other people to step up. The New York City Police Department under Commissioner Stewart, it's teaching ESL classes for people. He's the deputy commissioner of Community Affairs. He has started building out small places to teach Spanish to those who need to be taught Spanish.

This is a moment where people need to stop asking, Eric, "What are you doing?" This is a moment we need to ask, what are we doing? If you speak Spanish, there's nothing stopping you from opening a class to teach migrant Spanish and run at a HERCS. We will give you the room to do so. We can't do this alone. This is an all hands on deck. The dollars coming in are not equaling the dollars that we have to pay going out.

We're going to do our part to the best of our abilities within the financial restraint. But we have a real call. We need every New Yorker that has something to offer to play a role. This is not Mayor Adams job. This is the job of the people of the City of New York. And everyone should participate in that through New York City Cares, through the hundred nonprofits that we are part of through all the other groups. Everyone needs to be a part of that. And I'm not going to allow anyone to allow this moment to go past without asking, what are you doing to help people who are in need right now?

Question: Mayor, how much has the city used of the $1 billion of the legislature set aside? And one more question for you, do you feel like President Joe Biden is taking New York for granted in the 2024 election?

Mayor Adams: I'm not in his head. I don't understand why. I think real, true immigration reform is something that has been kicked down the road for many years. But Republicans are blocking immigration reform, so we need to understand that. I'm not in this head. I don't know exactly what is going on with some of the basic things that we ask for.

Allow people to work. There's nothing more anti-American than you can't work. Do a decompression strategy at the border. There's no reason with almost 108,000 cities, villages, towns in this country, we can't spread it out. Make sure that we properly fund it so FEMA is not giving money to those states to bust people to New York City. We need to get our dollar amount allocation for it. And so these are simple things that we're asking.

I'm not sure what's happening. We've been in great conversations with the secretary of Homeland Security and the White House. We are hoping that we get some shifts. The more and more folks highlight this, I think the more and more we're going to be able to get this done. We are going to continue to be very clear and specific on the things we need so that New York City residents are not having their quality of life erode at the capacity that it's doing now.