After months of uncertainty, the United Senior Center of Sunset Park (USC), which was on the verge of closing after the landlord demanded a rent increase of more than 70% for a new 10-year lease, is set to reopen Sept. 8. Assembly Member Marcela Mitaynes and Council Member Alexa Avilés secured more than $1 million in city and state funding to keep the center afloat.
Avilés, whose district includes Sunset Park, told Brooklyn Paper that $500,000 from the City Council and $600,000 from the State Assembly “saved the day” for the 53rd Street senior center, which has been closed since the end of June.
“[USC] is also a legacy organization in our community. The fact that they would be in such a precarious situation is deeply unfortunate,” Avilés said. “We’ve got to find ways to protect our important institutions and protect our older adults.”
While the building’s owner, Amy Grabino, did not make any concessions on the rent increase, the goal was to keep the center open and minimize disruption for the more than 4,000 seniors who visit each month.
“It’s been a hard two months since operations were interrupted. [The seniors] have obviously been going to other centers trying to stay active, but they are desperate to go back to their home, and they are very excited,” Avilés said, describing the center as a “lifeline” for older adults.
The 10,000-square-foot space is the largest multilingual senior center in Sunset Park and has been a community staple for more than 50 years. In addition to providing vital resources such as meals and recreational activities, it also offers referral services, health insurance guidance, and social security counseling.
To ensure seniors return to a welcoming, refreshed space, the Sunset Park Business Improvement District launched a GoFundMe to cover the cost of painting and floor repairs.
David Estrada, executive director of the BID, told Brooklyn Paper that in addition to the GoFundMe campaign, the organization contributed $1,000 “behind the scenes” for paint and tools.
“Because we have a little bit of a platform, we can run these fundraisers, and when we do that, we always do it the same way. There’s no administrative fee. We don’t take a cut. We just do it for love,” Estrada said. “Everything we net from the fundraiser is delivered directly to the recipient.”
Estrada described the uncertainty surrounding the center’s future as an emotional roller coaster.
“It’s not just a room where people get some meals. It is just a guide star of community service,” he said. “It’s representative of a generation of Sunset Parkers. It’s like this cultural crossroads, because some of the people are Puerto Rican or Dominican from years gone by, families that have been here for three generations. Some are recent Mexican immigrants, some people are Chinese. It’s just this open arms for the community.”
