Save Our Community Center (SOCCC-64) and El Bohio Cultural & Community Center are presenting the event, featuring an evening of dance, theater, music, art, poetry and film.
The benefit takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. at Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.
Peter Cramer and Jack Waters will serve as MCs, with performances by Vit Horejs' Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre, Jody Oberfelder, Pinc Louds, Kiki Cotto and David "Daso" Soto, among others.
Organizers say proceeds will go toward efforts to restore the former P.S. 64/CHARAS/El Bohio Community Center at 605 E. Ninth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.
The landmarked building, which served as a community and cultural center for more than 20 years, has been vacant and in disrepair for decades. CHARAS was evicted in December 2001 after the city sold the property to developer Gregg Singer in 1998.
The property changed hands in January 2024, when 605 East 9th Community Holdings LLC purchased it for $57.1 million.
Representatives for the new ownership have said their goal is to return the building to community use. Estimates presented at community meetings have put the rehabilitation cost at more than $100 million, with the work potentially taking four to six years.
As of last October, representatives for the property said they were focused on getting the vacate order lifted and raising funds for the restoration.
Monday's benefit is part of the continuing effort by longtime CHARAS supporters to bring the building back as a community and cultural center.
Tickets and more information are available here.
Previously on EV Grieve:
7 comments:
Yeah that is definitely the way to quickly raise 100 million dollars. We'll be there.
Which community will be running this place someday? It won't be the previous one from 25 years ago. Look around, there is only real estate, zero culture.
Exactly, lol.
To the snarky commenters: at least they are trying. Maybe some publicity will get them major funding from someone who truly supports the arts and community. Back in the day that was an amazing place for artists and the neighborhood . We need more spaces like that. and a whole lot less cynicism.
The best solution for PS 64 is to petition the Landmarks Committee to tear down the building. Today the money is in housing...If the new arts. group can find a partner to build a senior housing project.... the arts group can take part of the new building for their arts program. It's win/win. The city gets housing. The community gets an arts group.
Snarky for a good reason. Spend 100M for a community center? Are you kidding?
I think this could be a good idea. The Center for Performance Research in Williamsburg was built with housing above it, which effectively paid for it. We need more mixed use buildings. There are buildings in Japan that have restaurants, a shopping mall, grocery store, and hotel inside an otherwise residential building. It seems to work great.
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