A Strong Foundation – 1459 Stratford Avenue

Darren Ebron didn’t have a floor to stand on, but with 16 years of renovation experience and the lending power of Community Capital Fund, he had solid footing for transforming the blight at 1459 Stratford Avenue into new beauty. Before Ebron acquired it, the building had suffered years of neglect, including a collapsed floor. Despite its condition, Darren recognized its potential and set about to rehab the property. His plan: create a first- floor restaurant and two spacious apartments upstairs, each with hardwood floors, dishwashers and other amenities.

Darren began the project with his own funds, but found himself in a predicament when finances got tight. He called on Community Capital Fund for help—Darren had heard of CommCap through his work as a contractor for CommCap’s sister organization Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust (BNT).

CommCap in turn had been impressed with Darren’s qualifications and work quality. His company, Builders Unlimited LLC, had completed comprehensive renovations on five other Bridgeport properties, and Darren had worked on other homes and buildings throughout the City, including BNT’s rental development units.

Confident Darren could accomplish his goal, they approved the loan, and Darren dove into the task at hand: removing dumpsters of debris, reconstructing the roof and, most significantly, rebuilding the floor beneath him.