Buzz is brewing over the Kingsbridge National Ice Center project developers in talks with a brewery company, according to sources familiar with the talks.

The Jonas Bronck’s Brewing Company, named after the eponymous founder of the Bronx, has been holding quiet talks with KNIC developers in bringing a beer company to the Armory. Two high-ranking sources from separate local government offices, confirmed the talks with the Norwood News.

Developers and brewers have not publicly spoken about this potential venture inside the cavern-like Armory, standing vacant for more than 20 years. Developers won the contract in 2013, and have since moved in securing financing for the nine-rink, 5,000 seat arena.

But an employee with Butternuts Beer & Ale in Garrattsville, NY, contracted by Jonas Bronck’s Beer Company to brew their beer, said the firm is mulling a move to the Bronx, but didn’t specifically say where. A sales rep for Jonas Bronck’s Beer Company did not return calls.

The arrival of a beer company to KNIC appears fitting, given the recreational sports-like atmosphere the arena will give off, particularly when its 5,000-seat arena is operational. It also doesn’t seem to conflict with stipulations effected in the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) between KNIC developers and community leaders.

Should the firm do business inside the Armory, it would need to adhere to local hiring, filing quarterly reports on local hiring, and ensuring it conforms to green practices, according to the CBA.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.