NEW YORK CITY-After several years of failed redevelopment plans, the city is working to revitalize the long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx. During the 2012 “State of the City” address, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city would issue a request for proposals to find a new developer to revamp the historic 575,000-square-foot property.

“We’re putting aside our differences to do what’s best for the city,” Bloomberg said, during the address at Morris High School. He said city economic development officials would work hand-in-hand with borough president Ruben Diaz, Jr. to find a new operator for the site. “That’s what leadership is about. It’s not about a series of running arguments--it’s about getting things done.”

The redevelopment of the armory has a long history of political controversy. In 2009, the City Council voted against a $310 million mixed-use plan by Related Cos. for the site, due to the developer’s refusal to guarantee living wages for workers at the facility. Commercial real estate and construction groups largely favored the Related project, while local residents and borough officials said the plan “only ensures profits for the developer while leaving residents in poverty.”