Marvel transforms the historic Bedford Armory into a community hub

The Bedford Union Armory, originally built in 1903, has been repurposed and reimagined as a vital hub for the Crown Heights, Brooklyn community.

The mixed-use development combines vitally needed recreational and after-school programs, cultural activities, and support services in one facility. The project also includes 415 units of affordable and market rate housing in two additional buildings.

Now called the Major R. Owens Health & Wellness Community Center, the project includes a swimming pool, dance studios, an indoor soccer field, and multiple basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts. The interior space can be adapted to host a range of activities from farmers’ markets to films and community meetings. The center also has space for non-profits to provide on-site tutoring, counseling, cultural programming, and LGBT support services.

Bedford Court, the project’s residential component, includes an 82,000-sf, eight story, 60-unit affordable residential building with a medical facility, and a 320,000-sf, 15-story rental residential building that offers 355 market rate and affordable units. The lower building sits along the southern edge of the Armory while the larger residential building occupies a through-lot condition, spanning from President to Union Street.

The project preserved nearly 84% of the original armory building. New York City architecture firm Marvel designed the project for developer BFC.