State will not sell Williamsburg Armory for now

Renting out the 3.2-acre site as a movie set earned New York over $660,000 since 2012

From left: Williamsburg Armory, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Noah
From left: Williamsburg Armory, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Noah

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration is tabling plans to sell the Williamsburg Armory that could have seen the 165,000-square-foot National Guard outpost converted into a school, retail space or housing complex.

Following a report last year that the Empire State Development would seek proposals, the armory has seen an uptick of filming activity, the New York Daily News reported. Fees for hosting community events and shooting movies such as “Noah” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” at the armory have earned the state $667,609 dollars since March 2012, according to state records cited by the newspaper.

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“The Marcy Armory has continued to stimulate economic activity and generate revenue for the state, while also serving a beneficial role to the community by making space available for a variety of rental uses,” Empire State Development spokesperson Jason Conwall told the Daily News.

The announcement is a blow to Williamsburg’s Satmar Hasidic Jewish community, which was eyeing the fort as a potential community center and school for 30,000 children currently educated at private schools scattered throughout the area. State Assembly member Joe Lentol told the newspaper he had hoped to see the site utilized for retail or housing. [NYDN]Tom DiChristopher