Community Board 7 voted unanimously last week to approve a draft of a community benefits package that will be used to negotiate an agreement with the development group that wins the bid to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory. After drafting the package, the board will hand over negotiations the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance, a group pushing for responsible development of the iconic Bronx building.

The package approved by the board, which includes wage guarantees, local hiring requirements, job training programs, as well as funding for community space, local programs and park improvements, totals more than $20 million.

But community board members were quick to point out that they were aiming high and hoping to come away with an agreement that includes at least some of the key ingredients.

“No, we’re not going to get all of it,” said Board Chairman Paul Foster toward the conclusion of the meeting. “But this gives us something to work with.”

Working with representatives from the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), a grassroots community group born out of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, and lawyers from the Urban Justice Center, the board crafted the outlines of an agreement earlier this month. KARA is now taking the board’s approved document and creating its own working document to begin negotiations with the two finalists for the Armory project.

Over the past couple of weeks, the partnership worked to hone the agreement with input from board members. At the board’s general meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at the Bronx Library Center, the board spent an hour discussing the draft agreement and then put the final product to a vote.

After going over the details and language with the Urban Justice Center, they are expected to present the agreement to the two finalists for the Armory project in the near future and begin negotiations.

The two finalists include the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, a mega ice sports complex with nine skating rinks and an accompanying youth program, and Mercado Mirabo, an futuristic and flexible town square-style market designed by Young Woo & Associates with recreational, business incubator and retail components.

According to a spokesman for the Economic Development Corporation, which is managing the Armory project for the city, the agency is still in the final stages of negotiations with the developers and hopes to choose a winning bid “soon.”

Negotiations between the Community Board 7-KARA partnership and the developers on a community benefits agreement may have an impact on the winning bid.

Councilmember Fernando Cabrera, whose 14th District includes the Armory, has said repeatedly that a benefits agreement package must be part of the redevelopment of the Armory and his voice holds weight. The City Council killed the last project planned for the Armory three years ago and generally goes along with the wishes of the Council member whose district any given project resides in.

Recently, the partners in the ice center proposal have said they believe their proposal is strong enough to win the bid without a community benefits agreement, saying it incorporates many of the community’s desires, including guaranteed living wage jobs ($11.50 an hour, $10.50 an hour plus benefits) for all of the ice center’s 175 potential employees.

“We look forward to continued dialogue with the community and City, and will remain open to suggestions for additional community benefits that are within reason and allow us to move forward with our grand vision for this iconic landmark,” said a spokesperson for the KNIC partners.

Young Woo has pledged to produce at least 175 living wage jobs through its project and about 800 total. They have also agreed to put $50,000 toward the development of a new school in the Armory’s annex buildings, which are currently occupied by the National Guard.

Both groups have said they will use environmentally-friendly design practices and provide for community space — two pieces that are included in the draft benefits agreement.

The draft agreement also calls for, among other things, the installation of a monitoring committee to oversee and enforce the agreement, $500,000 for development of a new school, $3 million for community groups, $3,500,000 for park improvements, a small business incubator, free parking for church attendees on Sundays and new space for Community Board 7 offices.

Editor’s notes: This is an updated version of an article that originally appeared in the Jan. 24-Feb. 6 print edition of the Norwood News.