Historic Bed-Stuy mansion and Paul Robeson Theater hit market for $8.25M amid family feud * Brooklyn Paper

"One of the lead organizers for taking community ownership of the building, Shanna Sabio, behind the artist collective GrowHouse, formed the BLAC Land Trust with the goal of building creative incubator spaces and stabilizing community buildings through a nonprofit led by longtime Black area residents. The property at 375 Stuyvesant Avenue is the first the land trust has been trying to acquire."

"Sabio told Brownstoner that despite the listing, the group is "still talking to mission aligned developers and funders to gather a capital stack and also exploring creating a fund for other projects like this. We want to be able to move at the speed of the market when properties become available.""

"The Renaissance Revival brick mansion, on the corner of Decatur Street, was designed by Kirby & Petit and built in 1915 in what is now the Stuyvesant Heights Historic District. It was purchased by Dr. Josephine English in 1973, who as well as being the state's first Black woman gynecologist was also the first to open a private practice."

"The building contains one residential unit and one commercial unit, which is classed as a "community center," city documents and PropertyShark show. From the 1970s through the 1990s, the building served as a community center for seniors, a certificate of occupancy from 1976 shows, and more recently it has housed a school, Seasons plant nursery and Bread Love cafe in the garage, cafe, and exercise and art classes."

A historic early 20th century mansion has functioned as a hub for local businesses and nonprofits. After learning of an impending sale, local residents organized to form a community land trust and raised efforts to secure millions of dollars to prevent a private purchase. Shanna Sabio, a lead organizer behind GrowHouse, formed the BLAC Land Trust to build creative incubator spaces and stabilize community buildings through a nonprofit led by longtime Black area residents. The property at 375 Stuyvesant Avenue is the first target. The Renaissance Revival brick mansion was designed by Kirby & Petit and built in 1915, later purchased in 1973 by Dr. Josephine English. The building includes residential and commercial space classified as a community center, serving seniors, a school, a plant nursery, a cafe, and classes, and it has also been used as a film set.

Read at Brooklyn Paper