Paul Kerzner, Clip 5: Con Ed's Renaissance Housing Program

Collection: Queens Memory Project Collection at Queens College Libraries' Department of Special Collections and Archives: Paul Kerzner

Date: Time Period: 1978.0; 2013-05-24; Interview recorded: May 24 2013 Material: Digital audio recording made using Zoom H2 digital audio recorder digital recorder and Adobe Soundbooth. Dimension: Total running time: 0:05:26

Creator: Paul Kerzner interviewed by Grace Sullivan and Chia-Yin Leslie Tu Identifier: aql:26261 kerzner-paul-clip5

Description: In 1978 Paul was working in the law department for Con Ed and was also very active in his community. Con Ed was aware of Paulâ€™s community service and called on him to help put out fires with other community groups. In the spring of 1978, Paul and a co-worker met with Harlem businessmen to discuss the rehabilitation of a vacant block of brownstone buildings. Paul explains that this was beyond the scope of Con Ed's responsibilities. After the meeting, Paul told his colleague they needed a better answer and discussed the problem of vacant housing in Con Edâ€™s service territory. Based on his knowledge and experience gained from starting the Restoration Corporation of Ridgewood, he made a proposal to the Chairman, Charles Luce, and pointed out that Brooklyn Union Gas had a Cinderella program that renovated old buildings. Paul was directed to start a program that gave technical assistance to non-profit housing groups. This became Con Edâ€™s Renaissance Housing Program. Paul explains how the rehabilitation process works.

Title : Paul Kerzner, Clip 5: Con Ed's Renaissance Housing Program

Collection : aql:16085; aql:20455

Creator : Paul Kerzner interviewed by Grace Sullivan and Chia-Yin Leslie Tu

Date : Time Period: 1978.0; 2013-05-24; Interview recorded: May 24 2013

Summary/Description : In 1978 Paul was working in the law department for Con Ed and was also very active in his community. Con Ed was aware of Paulâ€™s community service and called on him to help put out fires with other community groups. In the spring of 1978, Paul and a co-worker met with Harlem businessmen to discuss the rehabilitation of a vacant block of brownstone buildings. Paul explains that this was beyond the scope of Con Ed's responsibilities. After the meeting, Paul told his colleague they needed a better answer and discussed the problem of vacant housing in Con Edâ€™s service territory. Based on his knowledge and experience gained from starting the Restoration Corporation of Ridgewood, he made a proposal to the Chairman, Charles Luce, and pointed out that Brooklyn Union Gas had a Cinderella program that renovated old buildings. Paul was directed to start a program that gave technical assistance to non-profit housing groups. This became Con Edâ€™s Renaissance Housing Program. Paul explains how the rehabilitation process works.

Subject : Urban renewal; Consolidated Edison Company of New York, inc.

Relation : Queens Memory Project Collection at Queens College Libraries' Department of Special Collections and Archives: Paul Kerzner

Rights : Contact digitalarchives@queenslibrary.org for research and reproduction requests.

Coverage : Locations discussed: Ridgewood, Queens, NY Greenpoint (New York, N.Y.) Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.)

Type : Oral history

Format : Digital audio recording made using Zoom H2 digital audio recorder digital recorder and Adobe Soundbooth.; Total running time: 0:05:26

Identifier : aql:26261 kerzner-paul-clip5