Bedford-Stuyvesant City Councilman Robert Cornegy said yesterday that rapper Jay Z or his non-profit Shawn Carter Foundation is welcome to help out on a proposed community center at NYCHA’s Marcy Houses, but the project will move forward with or without him.
Jay Z grew up in Marcy, which has been without a community center since 1977, and which had a shooting last month leaving a 16-year-old fatally shot and his 13-year-old cousin wounded.
“We don’t need him (Jay Z) but he is welcome to participate. I have the resources to allocate and don’t want this process slowed down with extra drama,” said Cornegy
According to DNAInfo, Cornegy is looking to to build a combination senior and youth center at an abandoned police station in the sprawling 27-building complex bordered by Flushing, Marcy, Nostrand and Myrtle avenues and housing over 4,000 residents.
The online publication also reported Cornegy is partnering with NYCHA authorities and fellow elected officials to get the funds to build the center while he is seeking input from residents on what type of programming they would like to see there.
Comedian Tracy Morgan also grew up in the Marcy Houses.
