I don’t think it’s a mosque- no minaret, for instance. It fits the definition of rabat better- a forward fort, frontier outpost, a place to train fighters and for fighters to rest.
Rabats are built at the edge of conquered lands.
I’ve been to Cordoba, I’ve been in the Cathedral that was used as a Mosque by the Muslim invaders. It’s spooky - a beautiful ancient cathedral with Islamic architectural details and motifs still visible.
It’ll supposedly be a community/cultural center, but a large mosque will be an integral part of it.
There are already well over 100 mosques in and around New York, yet no way would Khan et al budge from this particular location, despite public sentiment, pleas, monetary incentives, etc.
C’mon, it doesn’t take rocket science to figure out why.