Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation

Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation (OBCDC) was established in 1974 to serve the Old Brooklyn neighborhood on Cleveland's West Side. It is Cleveland’s family-friendly, accessible neighborhood where business and people come to grow.

Group of diverse young adults and teenagers posing in front of a mural on a brick building.

Mission

Grow Old Brooklyn through empowered partnerships, leadership, programming, and advocacy.

Vision

Ensure that Old Brooklyn’s tomorrow is better than today.

Organizational History

Old Brooklyn CDC was incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit in 1975, but work to form the Organization began in 1974. Our Organization was founded by three community members: John W. Young Sr. (Speed Exterminating Co.), Reverend Elam Weist (Brooklyn Heights UCC), and Reverend Bob Airhard (Pearl Road United Methodist Church of Christ).

Until the mid-2000s, OBCDC had a small staff and depended largely on volunteers. The main functions of the Organization centered around the Old Brooklyn News monthly newspaper, small-scale events, and Crime Watch group. In the late 2000s, with changes in funding and a merger that led to staff growth and professionalization, the goals of the Organization shifted to be more strategic.