|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR-
228-09
May 18, 2009
STATEMENT OF MAYOR BLOOMBERG ON START TO PUBLIC APPROVAL PROCESS FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY
City Initiates Seven-month Review Process for $310 Million Redevelopment of the Armory into Major Retail Complex, Creating 1,200 Permanent and More than 1,000 Construction Jobs
Creating Jobs
and Bringing Retail Options to Areas Throughout the City is Part of the
Administration’s Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan
“The Kingsbridge Armory is one of
the City’s historical treasures, but it has been long-underutilized. After years
of hard work and community involvement, we are now moving forward with a plan to
bring the Armory back to life – and bring new jobs and shopping opportunities to
Bronx residents. In addition to specialty and
local retail shops, the redevelopment of the 92-year-old building will provide a
public plaza, dedicated community space, restaurants, a recreational facility
and a seasonal farmers’ market. The project will create 1,200 permanent jobs and
more than 1,000 construction jobs. The continued input from Kingsbridge Armory
Redevelopment Task Force and Advisory Committee – made up of City
representatives, local elected officials and community leaders – combined with
the commitment from the developer, which is investing more than $300 million in
private capital, is a great example of what can be accomplished when the public
and private sector collaborate. We look forward to continuing to work with the
Advisory Group, the local Community Board, the Borough President, the City
Planning Commission and the City Council as the project goes through the public
review process.”
The City’s Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan
is a comprehensive strategy to bring New York City through the current economic
downturn as fast as possible. It focuses on three major areas: creating jobs for
New Yorkers today, implementing a long-term vision for growing the city’s
economy, and building affordable, attractive neighborhoods in every borough.
Taken together, the initiatives that the City has launched to achieve
these goals will generate thousands of jobs and put New York City on a path to
economic recovery and growth. To learn more about the plan, visit nyc.gov.
Recently, the City has announced:
- City’s Workforce1 Centers in Harlem and Jamaica
received awards for innovation.
- Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH)
program to encourage grocery stores.
- City-supported loans unavailable from banks to help
small businesses stay in operation.
- Three new Financial Empowerment Centers offering
free, one-on-one financial coaching.
- Stimulus funding to help the City provide summer jobs
for 51,000 young New Yorkers.
- The opening of New Hope Walton Project, housing for
low-income residents in Harlem
- New affordable housing at Gateway Building, a
long-vacant structure in the South Bronx.
- The Harlem
Business Assistance Fund to help businesses relocate to the 125th Street area.
- The expansion of NYC Business Express to help
businesses obtain permits and licenses.
- New international cruise activity, growing New York
City’s 13,000-job cruise industry.
- Steps to help New York City’s bioscience companies compete for Federal
funding.
- The “Nine in ’09” campaign to promote economic activity in diverse neighborhoods.
- A Center for Economic Opportunity program put 4,000
low-income New Yorkers in jobs.
- Stimulus-funded community development projects that
will strengthen neighborhoods.
- Stimulus-funded Housing Authority projects that will
create jobs for 3,255 New Yorkers.
- The start of construction of 103 units of affordable
housing in Brownsville.
- A plan to protect area character and expand
commercial opportunities in Sunset Park.
- The opening of Home Depot in the South Bronx creating
200 new permanent jobs.
- Legislation that will green buildings and create
19,000 construction jobs.
- The latest round of training funds to help small
businesses train their employees.
- The final tally of 1,673 additional jobs created at
the new Yankee Stadium.
- The placement of 50 laid-off New Yorkers into
positions at entrepreneurial companies.
- New York City achieved a record 5,000 job placements
through the first quarter of 2009.
- Help for a beer distributor to create 55 permanent
and 30 construction jobs in the Bronx.
- Green projects at the Brooklyn Navy Yard are creating
more than 1,700 permanent jobs.
- Comprehensive initiatives to support the nonprofit
sector and its 490,000 jobs.
- Federal stimulus transportation projects that will
create or preserve 32,000 jobs.
- New automated water meter readers that could help
businesses retain or create 550 jobs.
- New programs to provide training and resources for
City’s future entrepreneurs.
- Steps the City is taking to help small businesses
adapt to conditions and avoid layoffs.
- More than 50,000 New Yorkers claimed the City’s Child
Care Tax Credit in its first year.
- 11 new initiatives to support the financial services
sector and promote entrepreneurship.
- A plan for
Coney Island that will
create 6,000 permanent and 25,000 construction
jobs.
A plan to create 400,000 jobs over the next six years in the 2009
State of the City speech.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Stu Loeser/Andrew Brent
(212) 788-2958
|
|
|
|
|