The future of the Kingsbridge Armory has turned into a duel between two bidders, each offering a separate vision to re-shape and re-invigorate the famously long-vacant building. Both groups recently sweetened their deals in hopes of swaying the community and the city into their corner.

The city solicited several bids to redevelop the Armory at the beginning of the year, but only two groups made the final cut: a team of investors looking to build the world’s largest ice center and Young Woo & Associates, a Manhattan-based firm that wants to turn the Armory into a mixed-use creative market.

Recently both groups have been reaching out to local officials and community groups in order to sell their vision for a new Armory.

Two weeks ago, Young Woo announced that it would be partnering with the New York Gauchos and Brooklyn Boulders rock-climbing gym to add recreational programming to their plan.

The Gauchos, a Bronx-based youth basketball program was originally part of a separate bid, along with the National Cycling Association. But after the NCA dropped out of the process, Young Woo entered into an agreement with the Gauchos to bring hoops programming to the Armory.

“We are very excited to be part of YWA’s vision for the Kingsbridge Armory and look forward to bringing the Gauchos’ brand of affordable youth basketball programming to the Mercado Mirabo,” said the Gauchos’ Rocky Bucano.

Brooklyn Boulders co-founder Lance Pinn said the Armory’s cavernous drill floor would allow them to build “the tallest indoor climbing wall in the world.”

“Our passion is to teach the average person that rock climbing is a sport everyone can participate in,” Pinn said in a press release. “Our greatest pleasure is to witness a first time climber enjoying their inaugural ascent to the top of a wall.”

Young Woo’s vision, which it calls Mercado Mirabo, would also include a “creative” market for local artisans, cultural space that could accommodate concerts and art shows, a six-screen movie theater, a Crunch gym and a couple of mid-sized retail anchors .

Meanwhile, the Kingsbridge National Ice Center group is re-emphasizing its desire to create the world’s largest ice center. It would house up to nine skating rinks, including a center rink that could accommodate 5,000 spectators. The group says the facility would attract some three million visitors a year, according to the Daily News.

They’ve also enlisted Urban Assembly, an education organization, to run a new school that would sit in the Armory’s annex building. That plan, however, would require a separate transaction as the annex is currently occupied by the National Guard and efforts to relocate them have so far proven unsuccessful.

Their plan would also include an after-school youth hockey program and space for academic tutoring.

Both groups say they will pay a living wage and finance the project with without public subsidies.

Community Board 7 leaders met with Young Woo earlier this month and are expected to meet with the ice center group soon. A decision on the Armory project, which is being handled by the city’s Economic Development Corporation, is expected sometime this summer.

Editor’s note: A version of this articles appeared in June 28-July 11 print edition of the Norwood News. A first version inaccurately reported how the group’s plan to finance their projects. Both of the developers said they would not use public subsidies.