Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, NYCEDC, Community Leaders Unveil Vision For Redevelopment of Historic Kingsbridge Armory, $200 Million Investment in Economic Opportunities For Bronxites

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball, and community leaders unveiled guiding principles for the “Together for Kingsbridge Vision Plan,” (also available in Spanish) outlining next steps for a process that will include the redevelopment of the historic and long-underutilized Kingsbridge Armory and the creation of new economic opportunities in the Bronx. Rooted in community priorities and drawing on growing industries, the vision plan focuses on creating family-sustaining, local jobs and improving the quality of life for residents of Kingsbridge Heights and neighboring Bronx communities.

VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.

AUDIO of the event is available here.

PHOTOS of the event are available on the Governor's Flickr page.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Good morning. Really? That's all you're going to give me? I mean, this isn't the boogie down Bronx? Alright, little more energy, birthplace of hip-hop down the block. I mean, come on. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

This morning, we stand inside a fortress that was built to keep people out. But the vision we unveiled today will unlock the gates of the castle and create a new destination to welcome people in. And how did that happen? Instead of a community standing on their own, left with this hulking reminder of indifference and neglect, today we stand united – state, city, borough, community. United by a – 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? There's – 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. Assemblymember 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 Councilmember, 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. 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, it had a purpose, a military purpose right 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 officials 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 now 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. There was going to be schools, there was going to be shopping areas, workforce development, world's largest indoor skating rink – and none of it happened. So, it is a new day. I do understand any skeptics though. 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 Congressmen, “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, the 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 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 worked 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 Kipps Bay, first of its kind life sciences hub that'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 could 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 what 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 happens. So, there will 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 looked down on them. I’m from Buffalo. A lot of my friends in the Bronx say that's how they felt for a long time. So, 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 verses 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 hip-hop 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 to 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.