[Blaze23]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/11/ny...the-bronx.html

City Council Approves an Ice Center for the Bronx

The Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx will soon be reinvented as a national ice sports center under a plan that was approved on Tuesday by the City Council.

City officials brokered a last-minute deal that won the support of Councilman Fernando Cabrera, right, for an ice center in the Bronx.
The project, to be called the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, caps years of efforts by city officials and community leaders to redevelop a cavernous building that was completed in 1917 and has become an enduring symbol of the Bronx’s struggles. The vote came after city officials brokered a last-minute deal that won over Councilman Fernando Cabrera, who represents the area, by calling for the developer, KNIC Partners, to provide an additional $470,000 to address traffic and parking issues, and to support businesses and local students.

The ice center is scheduled to open in 2017, and will eventually include, in its 763,000 square feet, nine ice rinks, a 5,000-seat arena, dedicated space for community activities, and a free after-school program with tutoring and skating lessons.