Bedford-Stuyvesant residents are racing against the clock to secure community ownership of a historic early 20th-century mansion on Stuyvesant Avenue, mobilizing to form a community land trust and raise millions of dollars before the property is sold through a court-ordered process to a private buyer, according to Brownstoner.
The Renaissance Revival brick mansion at 375 Stuyvesant Ave., at the corner of Decatur Street, was constructed in 1914–1915 and sits within the Stuyvesant Heights Historic District. In 1973, it was purchased by Dr. Josephine English, New York state’s first Black woman gynecologist and the first to open a private practice.
Over decades, the building became a cornerstone of neighborhood life, hosting local businesses, nonprofits, classes and cultural activity. According to property records, it contains one residential unit and one commercial unit and has long been classified as a community center, the website reported.
From the 1970s through the 1990s, the mansion served seniors and community groups, later housing a school, a plant nursery, café, wellness, art and exercise programs. Its Arts and Crafts interior details have been cited as worthy of preservation and the building has even appeared as a filming location, including for the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.
Since English’s death in 2011, however, the future of the mansion and other properties she owned has been uncertain. Legal disputes among family members over ownership and management have dragged on for years, during which time the properties fell into disrepair. Court documents now show that the mansion, along with two other sites, is slated to be sold together for at least $9.2 million, according to Brownstoner.
The looming sale has prompted a grassroots effort to keep 375 Stuyvesant Ave. in community hands. The organizing push is being led by longtime Bed-Stuy resident and artist Shanna Sabio, founder of the GrowHouse collective. Drawing on years of work around creative spaces and neighborhood stabilization, Sabio and fellow organizers turned to the community land trust model as a way to protect culturally significant properties from speculative development.
Community land trusts are nonprofit entities that hold land for collective benefit while allowing mission-aligned uses of the buildings on that land. From this vision, the BLAC Land Trust was formed and received its nonprofit status earlier this year, with a mission centered on preserving Black legacy, culture and long-term community stability.
In recent months, the group has rallied neighbors, launched a petition that has drawn thousands of signatures, and begun fundraising toward a down payment. Organizers estimate they need to raise at least $1.5 million within the next two months, with additional millions required for purchase and renovations. They are pursuing a mix of community donations, impact investment, loans and potential public support.
If successful, the property would be governed by a tripartite board structure made up of community members, users of the space, and professionals with technical expertise. Proposed uses discussed at community meetings include small business incubation, health and education programming, event space and limited revenue-generating operations aligned with the trust’s mission.
