Bronx getting new ice sports facility

[Confucius]

At this point, the Islanders might as well take the name Americans, since they won't have any real ties to Long Island. As for the neighborhood itself, I hope it spurs gentrification of that area (it's a working-class neighborhood).

I bet an NHL team with the name Americans would sell more jerseys than any other team.

 

[Franck]

This is one of the coolest renderings I've ever seen:

The rinks would be on two floors, and the one in the middle would have seats.

That looks completely awesome.

 

[EbencoyE]

I'm sure the locals are absolutely thrilled about this /sarcasm

Looks neat though

 

[nyrmetros]

Awesome facility, but driving to the Bronx is a $13 toll..... Yikes !!

 

[#66]

Awesome facility, but driving to the Bronx is a $13 toll..... Yikes !!

If they have a normal skating price it would still easily beat the overpriced garbage at CP. Between the crap ice, toll, parking and insane rink fees.... they can sink into the river.

 

[Crease]

If they have a normal skating price it would still easily beat the overpriced garbage at CP. Between the crap ice, toll, parking and insane rink fees.... they can sink into the river.

First thing I thought of was what this project will do to business at Chelsea Piers, which effectively has a monopoly on the amateur and beer-league demand in Manhattan and the surrounding neighborhoods.

 

[danishh]

so google says the 4 train from the Barclays Center to the armoury takes almost an hour. I cant imagine driving through manhattan would be much faster.

i know Barclays is far from the isles current practice ice in nasseau, but is this really an improvement?


i guess if isles players start moving to the city it makes sense (anyone know how many live in the city and how many live out in nasseau/suffolk right now?

 

[Made Dan]

If they have a normal skating price it would still easily beat the overpriced garbage at CP. Between the crap ice, toll, parking and insane rink fees.... they can sink into the river.

Someone told me that open ice at CP was like $40...that's nuts. Considering the amount of rinks in this facility (with the lack of too many local teams) I'd imagine the open ice will be pretty cheap. So excited for this rink, will open up a ton of hockey opportunities here. Maybe this will push Fordham into becoming a varsity program. Would be ecstatic to watch D1 hockey 10 minutes away from me. Should help the 3 local high school teams immensely. Shame that they're building this right after my high school career ended .

 

[Made Dan]

so google says the 4 train from the Barclays Center to the armoury takes almost an hour. I cant imagine driving through manhattan would be much faster.

i know Barclays is far from the isles current practice ice in nasseau, but is this really an improvement?


i guess if isles players start moving to the city it makes sense (anyone know how many live in the city and how many live out in nasseau/suffolk right now?

Could go through Queens. Traffic could be a problem but should be manageable.

 

[Bert Marshall days]

so google says the 4 train from the Barclays Center to the armoury takes almost an hour. I cant imagine driving through manhattan would be much faster.

i know Barclays is far from the isles current practice ice in nasseau, but is this really an improvement?


i guess if isles players start moving to the city it makes sense (anyone know how many live in the city and how many live out in nasseau/suffolk right now?

There is absolutely no way that the 4 train from Barclay's to Kingsbridge takes an hour. No way. I used to take the Lex local from Hunt's Point (Bronx) to Wall St and reverse in 35-40 mins - which is almost the same distance.

 

[Franck]

I'm sure the locals are absolutely thrilled about this /sarcasm

Looks neat though

I'm sure they'd much rather have a big ice facility brining in business than an enormous empty building just standing there.

 

[EbencoyE]

I'm sure they'd much rather have a big ice facility brining in business than an enormous empty building just standing there.

Gentrification is only good for the people it won't alienate and push out. (i.e. white people with money) Most of the locals in that area are lower class minorities. I doubt they want the Bronx to become the next Brooklyn.

And this is ignoring that the facility itself is meant for upper-class white people sports that very few locals, if any, will be enjoying the services of.

 

[smithy]

Gentrification is only good for the people it won't alienate and push out. (i.e. white people with money) Most of the locals in that area are lower class minorities. I doubt they want the Bronx to become the next Brooklyn.

And this is ignoring that the facility itself is meant for upper-class white people sports that very few locals, if any, will be enjoying the services of.

That's an important consideration. Whenever you build a facility like this, you need to make sure that it becomes part of the surrounding community and isn't used as a wedge for gentrification or to exclude.

I personally like mixed-income developments, where you have things like music schools or ice rinks typically affiliated with high-income neighborhoods near projects, so long as those facilities are open to the entire community regardless of income. I would hope that this rink would have programs for the community and for those who would otherwise never have the chance to learn to skate.

Also, while your point is valid, I think many would consider this an improvement given the history of not putting ANY park or recreational facilities (or very few) in low-income areas under Robert Moses, who built up most of NYC's current park infrastructure in such a way as to deliberately exclude lower income citizens of New York City. So I think the Bronx would, in fact, rather have this facility than have an empty building, because my understanding is that they are way behind the other boroughs in terms of recreational facilities.

 

[Brooklyn Americans]

they are way behind the other boroughs in terms of recreational facilities.

They are way behind the other boroughs in a lot of regards, sadly.

 

[LadyStanley]

Mark Messier, who helped spearhead the Kingsbridge National ice center effort, was on HNIC Radio today talking about development.

The plan is for NINE rinks (some stacked), including 5,000 seat arena. Estimated open in 2017. $320m project. (City owned armory; been vacant for 20 years. Land is the hardest part about development in NYC.)

While ice hockey and figure skating (there's a former Olympian signed on to help work/promote effort) are the main efforts, they've also had inquiries from speed skating (short track), curling and other ice events.

Messier indicated they wanted this to be a "place of excellence". Perhaps with AHL-level pro team, as well as junior and/or collegiate teams. Maybe even a source for future Olympians.

 

[cutchemist42]

I'm guessing this is too far from Rutgers university for the B1G to push for another hockey program to play there?

 

[Brodie]

Way too far, and there'd be no interest from Rutgers to justify the Title IX costs

 

[Brooklanders*]

so google says the 4 train from the Barclays Center to the armoury takes almost an hour. I cant imagine driving through manhattan would be much faster.

i know Barclays is far from the isles current practice ice in nasseau, but is this really an improvement?


i guess if isles players start moving to the city it makes sense (anyone know how many live in the city and how many live out in nasseau/suffolk right now?

Not many Isles players live in the big city. The isles are going to still play a few games at the Coliseum. The Sysosset faciilty isn't state of the art so go to the Bronx. I much rather see the team have a practice facility built in Brooklyn. The Bronx is so inconvenient and it would be cool for fans to realize the Isles are Brooklyns team. Convenience and comfort follow.

 

[Brodie]

Don't the Rangers practice in like Westchester? Distance isn't a huge issue

 

[Shrimper]

That rendering is incredible.

Looks awesome. Someone mentioned earlier that an ECHL team could play there and that isn't far from possible I'd say. Maybe even an AHL team if they so wished.

 

[Kane One]

An ECHL team probably makes more sense than an AHL team. There are two AHL teams relatively close by and when the Islanders move to Brooklyn, their AHL team will probably move to NVMC and the Rangers AHL team would move to Bridgeport. An ECHL team would have no ECHL competition here, but they would have AHL competition. Maybe the Rangers/Islanders/Devils could get a team there?

 

[Tawnos]

An ECHL team probably makes more sense than an AHL team. There are two AHL teams relatively close by and when the Islanders move to Brooklyn, their AHL team will probably move to NVMC and the Rangers AHL team would move to Bridgeport. An ECHL team would have no ECHL competition here, but they would have AHL competition. Maybe the Rangers/Islanders/Devils could get a team there?

Are you referring to Hartford and Bridgeport as being relatively close by? AHL competition... not really. How many people are traveling out of the city to see AHL games? How many would take the subway on a random night to do it? When capacity is only 5k anyway, that team I think would do phenomenally well.

ECHL would be cool. AHL would be better.

 

[Kane One]

Are you referring to Hartford and Bridgeport as being relatively close by?

ECHL would be cool. AHL would be better.

Yeah, I don't really think they are that far. Let's say a fan lives half way between NY and Hartford. They would have a choice to go to Hartford or NY if they want to go to an AHL game.

Edit - Yeah, you're probably right.

 

[Tawnos]

Yeah, I don't really think they are that far. Let's say a fan lives half way between NY and Hartford. They would have a choice to go to Hartford or NY if they want to go to an AHL game.

I don't really think it'd be about the fan living in SW Connecticut. It'd be about the fan living in NYC.

Saw your edit. Glad you agree!

 

[Kane One]

I don't really think it'd be about the fan living in SW Connecticut. It'd be about the fan living in NYC.

Saw your edit. Glad you agree!

If there's an AHL team there, I'd definitely go to a ****-load of games. Being a 21-year old college student, I'm very priced out of Ranger games.