Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation

Founded in 1967, the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation (BSRC) was the nation’s first community development corporation, and was a model for hundreds of similar groups that followed around the country. In its local community, the BSRC has served as a linchpin organization, providing a vast array of services and building community capacity through its focus on economic, physical and social progress for Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Overview

The community organizing efforts of a broadbased coalition, the Central Brooklyn Coordinating Council, aided by Pratt Institute, laid the groundwork for the BSRC. Many of these activists accompanied Senator Robert F. Kennedy on his historic 1966 walking tour of Bedford-Stuyvesant. They challenged him to take action to improve the beleaguered neighborhood, not just study its problems. The BSRC was initially funded through a bi-partisan congressional “Special Impact Program.” Moving quickly, in 1967 the newly formed BSRC purchased a full city block of industrial buildings on Fulton Street, which included a former milk bottling plant constructed in 1915 (decorative carvings of cows and milk bottles are still visible on the building’s facade). The bottling plant became the BSRC’s first offices along with a community center and auditorium.

In 1975, less than ten years after its formation, the BSRC expanded to fill the Fulton Street block through the creation of Restoration Plaza designed by the well-known firm of Arthur Cotton and Associates. This new facility, which combined historic and contemporary architecture, eventually included three-dozen stores–one of them, Pathmark, the neighborhood’s first supermarket in 30 years. Also included in Restoration Plaza, which continues to thrive today, were cultural and recreational facilities as well as 70,000 square feet of office space.
Along with creating these new neighborhood resources, the BSRC has a long track record of pioneering community-building programs. Over the years these have included a low-cost home improvement program, a mortgage loan fund, job training, recruitment of businesses into the community, arts programs, and health services among others. Despite cuts in funding beginning in the 1980s, the BSRC has managed to continue to play a leadership role and takes pride in its continuing ability to attract millions of dollars of investment to Bedford-Stuyvesant, giving local people the opportunity to engage in management, entrepreneurship, decision-making and control of the community development process. A long-standing anchor in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the BSRC has truly served its community while simultaneously leading the way for similar groups around the country.

A History of Innovative Community Leadership

On February 4, 1966 Senator Robert F. Kennedy, along with community residents and leaders, took an historic walking tour of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Appalled by the sight of poverty, deteriorating housing, and vacant storefronts, and shocked by the community’s high rates of infant mortality, juvenile delinquency, and unemployment, Kennedy felt compelled to organize an urgent and sustained response. Along with his fellow New York Senator, Jacob Javits, he sponsored legislation to begin a bi-partisan “Special Impact Program” that provided the initial funds for BSRC.

To facilitate his long-range vision, Kennedy set up two corporations in 1967. The first was the BSRC, a non-profit group directed by 26 local members. This was known as the community board, and was comprised of ministers, lawyers, and other local professionals and activists. Its role was to draft plans for housing, health clinics, recreation facilities, and commercial and industrial development. Civil Court Judge Thomas R. Jones was appointed to head the Board of Directors, and former lawyer and deputy police commissioner, Franklin A. Thomas served as the first President.

The second corporation was called the Development and Services Corporation (D&S), and included primarily Manhattan-based professionals and business leaders, directed by an 11-person board. The idea was that D&S would act in partnership with the community board to implement the community board’s vision by offering expert advice and attracting private investment. The two boards met every two months. Secretary of the Treasury C. Douglas Dillon was the first Chairman of this board. John Doar, who had headed the Civil Rights Division of the Attorney General’s Office, was the first President. The partnership of the two boards lasted until 2000 when D&S dissolved to merge with the Restoration Corporation board.

Early funds from the federal government and private banks paid for the 1967 purchase and rehabilitation of the BSRC’s headquarters in the former Sheffield Farms milk bottling plant. By taking over a visibly defunct business, BSRC not only secured badly needed space, they created something positive and tangible, suggesting the possibility for neighborhood renewal.

In order to have an immediate impact on the Bedford-Stuyvesant community, one of BSRC’s first initiatives was an exterior renovation program for local homes. Begun in the summer of 1967, this program hired unemployed local residents and put them to work renovating the exteriors of local homes for just $25 regardless of the amount of work involved. Since blocks associations had to apply for the program, which lasted 10 years, it also spurred community organizing and initiative.

In addition to this program and the conversion of the Sheffield Farms milk bottling plant, BSRC started a number of other massive projects to revitalize the community during its first 15 months. These included:

A $73 million mortgage loan fund to assist with African-American homeownership.

Planning for the first of two “superblock” projects, which eventually transformed local streets into playgrounds and parks, and funded new housing and repairs to deteriorated buildings.

Job training programs in carpentry, clerical work, refrigerator and AC repair for roughly 1200 local residents.

Negotiating an agreement with International Business Machines to open a computer cable factory in the area that would employ 300 local people.

Launching a 13-week television series on WNEW-TV called “Inside Bedford-Stuyvesant.”

Another landmark year was 1975 when the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza opened, providing much-needed commercial, business, cultural and recreational facilities for the community. Many community programs began then, including an ambitious arts program launched under the auspices of the Center for Art and Culture (1970). The Center and many other important early efforts still thrive today including the Skylight Gallery (1972), an exhibition space that features local artists; the Billie Holiday Theatre (1972), a community theater; the Restoration Dance Theater (1974), a professionally-directed dance training center; and the Bedford-Stuyvesant Family Health Center (1976), now an independent health service provider that is still closely associated with BSRC. The BSRC also has a “Youth Arts Academy” offering about 450 youngsters from the community classes in dance, drama, music, martial arts, and visual arts, as well as the opportunity to participate in performances and exhibitions.

In 1982 with Ronald Reagan’s massive cuts in federal funding of community and social services, many community development corporations had to close down services. During this time the unrestricted flow of funds BSRC had enjoyed came to a halt, and it had to sell some of its properties and cutback on some programs. Yet BSRC remains a vital and central community resource. New leadership aims to expand the organization’s funding base, reduce deficits, improve maintenance of physical assets and rebuild relations with community residents, particularly through cultural and youth initiatives and building affordable housing. Helping to strengthen neighborhood businesses through revolving funds and technical assistance is another stated aim.