By HAYLEY CAMACHO 

Mark Messier, CEO of Kingsbridge National Ice Center, reassured the Kingsbridge and surrounding community that plans to develop a nine-rink, 5,000-seat arena at the Kingsbridge Armory will proceed despite nearly a year of delays.

The $350 million project had been plagued by legal drama between the developers and former parties involved with the project in 2014. For Messier, standing at Community Board 7’s Economic Development Committee, it was his first time he spoke to the public following a judge’s ruling that the ice rink plan can proceed without Jonathan Richter, Marcus Wignell and Jeff Spiritos. The three were KNIC Partners LLC operatives often seen meeting with community leaders to discuss the project early on.

Messier, who’s long been tied to the project since 2012, also pledged to be guided by the principles of the Community Benefits Agreement brokered by community stakeholders and KNIC Partners LLC. “We come as partners in the community,” said Messier.

The Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance and other community stakeholder groups were key players in the development of the CBA, which stipulates benefits for Kingsbridge residents.  Among the key provisions in the agreement are a $10 minimum hourly wage, 51 percent of jobs for Bronx residents and 51 percent procurement by minority/women owned businesses.

“For the last two years we’ve done intensive interviews with all types of people from construction companies, construction managers, project managers, to law firms to insurance companies. You can imagine the enormity of the task,” said Messier. “What serves as our moral beacon for this whole project is our CBA. We feel this is a collaboration between the Kingsbridge team and the community.”

Messier said he is looking forward to the election of the 11 member Community Advisory Council that will provide oversight of the CBA.  “When the CAC is formed it will be our conduit between the Kingsbridge team and the community,” he said.

Another component of the CBA is that if the KNIC decides to rent space to retailers, it will not consider big box or supermarket tenants, to complement surrounding businesses.  Concerns about gentrification were very much on the minds of those present.

Christian Ramos, vice president of the Kingsbridge Merchants Association, spoke about incidents last summer in which the landlord of shops near the massive Armory tried to double the rent to push tenants out. The rate was eventually scaled back, though one business owner eventually relocated to Grand Concourse near Fordham. “How are you guys going to preserve those mom and pop stores that we have had for more than 30, 40 years?” he asked.

“We feel we’re partners,” said Messier. “We’re coming into your neighborhood and doing something that is additive so when we hear that news that’s very disturbing to us because we want to see the folks that have been there and paid their dues reap the benefits of something like this.”

John Neary, executive officer of KNIC Parnters LLC, addressed the range of resources that merchants can turn to in their fight against rent-gouging landlords. Resource groups include the Kingsbridge Merchants Association, the Bronx Economic Development Corp., Community Board 7 and the Bronx Borough President’s Office.  “You can be assured that whatever we can do to help, we will help. If we need to lock arms we’re there with you guys,” he said.

Messier said he still anticipates a completion date of 2018 and added that detailed information regarding the development of the project, including the unveiling of a website, will be released in May during Bronx Week