13th Regiment Armory: From Storage of Arms to Shelter of Men

Amazing that they would build such a gorgeous structure expressly to house arms. Shows that even in the 1894, as in 2008, that American taxpayers money was misused for the advancement of war and death instead of health insurance or improving the public education system.

Its present day incarnation, however, is a men's shelter containing 200 beds on two floors (approximately 217,000 square feet of space) and occasional Narcotics Anonymous meetings.

We love this part of the architecture, which looks like a moat, although the lower windows refute that theory.

Much has been written about this castle-like building known as both the 13th Regiment Armory and the Sumner Armory, named after the main street. Sumner Avenue on which it stands has since been renamed Marcus Garvey Boulevard. It is a notable building in several books about New York architecture and Bed-Stuy walking tours. A New York Times article from 1988 charts its change in use:

The 13th Regiment became the 245th Coast Artillery in 1920 as fundamental changes took place in the National Guard. The Guard's police role declined and, as emphasis on field training has grown, city armories have become less useful than ones in rural areas, according to Maj. Donald Maurer, public affairs officer for the New York Army National Guard. Several armories have been demolished in recent years. In 1971 the 13th Regiment Armory was transferred to the city and in 1974 the regiment, by then the 244th Artillery, was deactivated.

The city at first used the drill hall for vehicle storage and leased the huge headhouse to a school. But as the problem of the homeless grew larger, the city began using armories as emergency shelters. Now 11 armories, in whole or in part, serve as shelters.

Since January 1987, 600 beds have been installed in the vast drill hall of the 13th Regiment Armory. The Housing Resources Administration, which oversees the shelters, has taken over the headhouse and is spending $4.5 million to restore it for additional offices and shelter space.

One bedroom for 600 people is no one's ideal, but armories are being used as shelters because they already are in public ownership and because they are clean and secure.

In 1993, the shelter the armory contains is back in the news again when it reduces its beds from 800 (not 600) to 200 in order to make peace with the Bedford Stuyvesant community:

In monthly meetings with the shelter's administrators, residents can now press their requests -- among them, that the men not congregate outside and that they seek employment; the city has agreed to these suggestions. Also at residents' request, the entrance has been moved from Putnam Avenue, a residential street, to the more commercial Marcus Garvey Boulevard. As a result, the neighborhood has become more accepting.

"We didn't want the shelter opened," said Eddie Hampton, president of the Sumner Avenue Shelter Advisory Board. "But if it has to be here it should look like it's part of the community."

So residents planted roses, tulips and black-eyed Susans in front of the armory.

Sam Szurek, a spokesman for the city's Department of Homeless Services, said part of the agency's goal is to work with residents where shelters exist.

"We can't just run roughshod over a community," he said. "And this community has been vocal about telling us their likes and dislikes."

And back in the news yet again five months later when the city is accused of overfilling the 200 beds with 500 residents and in a building that was not even up to firecode. Unfortunately in my search for information on the Sumner Armory I discovered that eleven registered sex offenders also reside there. I didn't want to know this. Especially as finding the armory building itself was part of a joyful walk through the southern part of our neighbourhood ending in an hour of playing with our 3 year old at a large newish playground kitty corner to the shelter. But this is part of living in New York instead of a 'safe' suburb or even Los Angeles where you can drive through around the bad parts of the neighbourhood and pretend they don't exist. But they do. Living in New York means sitting side by side with every kind of person in the world from the saintly to the fallen, and that's just on your commute to work. It means you can't ignore any part of our society because it's all right in your face. And believe it or not, I think that's a good thing. A positive aspect to our city. And it is in every part from the Upper East Side of Manhattan to Bed-Stuy. That's what makes it so 'real.' And after reading a recent article in New York Magazine about a community of sex offenders in Long Island, I wonder about that label as well, for no issue is ever that simple. Besides who even knows for sure that those accused and arrested for certain crimes, were actually the ones who committed them. DNA evidence has shown that over the years many people have been wrongly convicted and lost both their reputation and years of their life in prison.

Black Veterans for Social Justice operates Pamoja House - the men's shelter at the armory. On their webpage they state:

Pamoja House advances services designed to motivate residents to take complete charge of their own lives. The foundation of the "Pamoja" House program ( a ki-Swahili word meaning togetherness & unity) is rooted in the belief that anyone, willing to take responsibility for his own life, given the proper support and direction, can and will become a productive member of society. Positive commun8ity living starts with the maintenance of the facility, community service, recreation, security, beautification, education and entertainment. The umbrella for these activities is the Resident Advisory Council. The Pamoja House Program implements a seven-tract independent living program consisting of (1) Orientation & Assessment, (2) Therapeutics, (3) Self Development & Personal Planning, (4) Skills Development, (5) Community Involvement, (6) Exodus, (7) Aftercare. All residents will go through the tracts, albeit at different paces.

Which all sounds rather positive. And although some people may not be pleased about having a shelter in their neighbourhood, why should shelter residents be vilified? Many of us are just one step away from being homeless too. Lose your job and that could be you knocking on Pamoja's House's door. Plus some of the residents are low-wage workers who can't afford to pay rent in New York. But with rents rising all the time, that's hardly surprising. Then last year Bloomberg started charging people rent to live in shelters, up to 30 percent of their income! Doesn't that completely negate what shelters were created for in the first place?