The United Order of Tents, a Bedford-Stuyvesant Black women's aid society, will commence on the renovation a 19th-century mansion at 87 MacDonough St., restoring a deteriorated structure that will become a symbolic homecoming, according to Brownstoner.
Members of the Order’s Eastern District #3, many dressed in the organization’s signature purple, stood before community partners, neighbors and elected officials in October to commemorate what they described as a milestone of survival, sisterhood and steadfast faith in preservation, the news site reported.
“It’s essential that we have third spaces that support the community in multiple endeavors, and that’s the Tents mission," member Erica Buddington said. "We were founded to support community through mutual aid and we’re still doing that work, and the space is a very big part of that."
The Second Empire–style mansion, built in 1863 and purchased by the Tents in 1945, is listed on both the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. Once described as a “jewel of Bed-Stuy,” the building has suffered years of neglect brought on by financial strain, predatory developers and unreliable contractors, Brownstoner reported.
Now, under the leadership of a younger generation of members, the organization is working with Think Wilder Architecture, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, Legal Aid and the Landmarks Preservation Commission to bring the home back to life. Architectural drawings, inspections and reviews have been completed, clearing the way for the first phase of renovations, which will focus on the exterior plus entryway.
Restoration work will include repairing masonry, cornices, and wood trim, restoring ironwork, and ensuring the building meets ADA accessibility standards. As the exterior repairs begin, the group will continue fundraising for the interior, having already raised $600,000 through donations and grants, a reflection of the community’s deep investment in preserving the mansion’s legacy.
Plans for the interior include a memorial room, archives, and community spaces for partnerships with local nonprofits, all designed to echo the Order’s founding purpose: caring for and uplifting Black women plus their families.
The restoration comes at a critical time for Black institutions across the country, many of which face displacement or erasure. For the Tents, keeping ownership of the mansion, one of the last surviving Black women–owned historic properties in the city, is an act of both cultural preservation and community service, the news site reported.
