Salvation Army Bushwick
1149 Bushwick Avenue, Between Putnam Avenue and Cornelia Street.
Block 3374, Lot 1
[PHOTO]
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| Salvation Army Bushwick, Credit: Ogawa, Asuka |
Year Built: 1971
*Original Building: Built 1908 Demolished 1968
Building Type: Community Facility
Architectural Style: Modern
Architect: Rodney Leon, AARRIS Architects LLP.
Builder: Unknown
Original Owner: Salvation Army
Proposed District: n/a
History and Analysis
Salvation Army Bushwick, occupying the entire block fronting Bushwick Avenue between Putnam Avenue and Cornelia Street was built in 1971 as a community center operated by the Salvation Army in the Bushwick section. The architect, Rodney Leon is the president and co-founder of AARRIS Architects LLP, a firm specializing in residential, commercial, and institutional projects nurturing relationships with community and non-profit organizations. Recognizing Bushwick as an “at-risk neighborhood of about 110,000 people” where “half of the residents never graduate from high school and many fall victims to crime, substance abuse, and incarceration,” and where “there is also a high level of child abuse, child neglect and a disproportionate number of children living below the poverty line,” the Salvation Army sought to provide the community with a place for learning and reading. [1]
One of 39 Salvation Army Community Centers in the greater New York region, The Salvation Army Bushwick Community Center serves as a beacon for individuals of all ages, backgrounds and interests. The center offers a full range of programming in a neighborhood that painfully lacks resources and faces many challenges-including drug trafficking and a rising crime rate. At the center, residents find much needed support, whether that means a hot meal at a soup kitchen, affordable day care and after school supervision for children, companionship for seniors, or toys during the holidays. In 2009 alone the center served 54,643 meals and snacks to the hungry, provided 10,682 hours of care to children, and distributed 5,291 holiday gifts for those in need. [2]
Additional Section/ Additional Photography
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| Salvation Army Bushwick, Credit: Ogawa, Asuka |
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| Salvation Army Bushwick, Credit: Ogawa, Asuka |
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| Salvation Army Bushwick, Credit: Ogawa, Asuka |
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| Salvation Army Plans Bushwick Center In Boro, New York Amsterdam News (1962-1993); Apr 3, 1971; ProQuest Historical Newspapers New York Amsterdam News: 1922-1993, pg. 31 |
Location
References
New Building Number, New York City Department of Buildings
Angel Rock Project, “Rodney Leon”, available at http://www.angelrockproject.com/arp/monthly/angelofthemonth_rodney_leon.asp
Salvation Army Bushwick, available at http://www.salvationarmybwcc.org/