New Kingsbridge Armory plan expected

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to announce plans today to sell or lease for development the historic Kingsbridge Armory -- an idea that drew community opposition 12 years ago.

The armory plan is one of a number of initiatives Bloomberg is to unveil during his State of the City address at Morris Park High School, according to mayoral aides.

Because the armory is a city landmark, it can't be demolished or substantially altered. Opened in 1917, the massive structure sits on about five acres on West Kingsbridge Road in the Bronx and is built in the style of a medieval French castle. The building's curved roof resembles a train station.

Bronx Borough historian Lloyd Ultan said President Franklin Delano Roosevelt reviewed thousands of troops in the armory in 1944. The building has also hosted parades and sporting events, and was last used for military purposes in the late 1990s. Since then, it's been essentially closed, officials said.

City officials admit Bloomberg's plan to revive the redevelopment idea is a political risk. In 1999, local businesses objected because they feared the proposed shopping center would kill existing businesses on the Grand Concourse and nearby, Ultan said. Opponents also objected to the minimum-wage jobs being promised at the time.

"They were afraid it would be a government-subsidized shopping center in Kingsbridge, which would take away customers," said Ultan, a history professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

This time, however, Bloomberg has the backing of current Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Diaz said in a statement that the project "will enhance and compliment the surrounding neighborhood to this historic structure."