SummaryMemories of Greenpoint and Beyond is a collection of short reflections by long-time Greenpoint resident John Dereszewski, spanning the years 2018-2025, archived by the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center. Document includes some photographs. Related record: GEHP_0235.
NoteTitle supplied by creator. Original document compiled as a PDF by Julia Pienkowska and Lori Vroegindewey in 2025-2026. Donated by John Dereszewski. This project is made possible through the generous support of Assemblymember Emily Gallagher.
Biographical NoteJohn Dereszewski was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in 1950 and resided in this community until moving to Forest Hills Queens in 2001.
During his time in Brooklyn, John was very active in community affairs where he, most notably, served as a member of Brooklyn Community Board 1, which represents both Greenpoint and Williamsburg, from 1974-77 and 1980-98. For many of those years, John was a Board officer and, at various times, chaired its Land Use and Budget Priority Committees. John also helped establish the Morgan-Nassau Avenues Block Association, where he served as President for a number of years and served a term as President of the Greenpoint Civic Council. From 1977-79, John was selected to be the initial District Manager of Brooklyn Community Board 4, which serves the neighboring Bushwick Community. During this time, John established the Board’s District Office and experienced such traumatic events as the 1977 blackout and the destructive all hands fire that occurred during the following week. In response to such events, he played a principle role in devising the Bushwick Action Plan that, with the strong support of the Koch Administration, provided the blueprint for Bushwick’s recovery from its blighted conditions. John played a key role in ensuring that the neighborhood's new Police Precinct would be located on the site of the all-hands fire, in the center of Bushwick. Over the following years, John continued to take an active interest in Bushwick’s activities and participated in the Brooklyn Historical Society’s 2007 Up from Flames exhibit, which highlighted the steps taken on the road to its recovery. After leaving the District Manager position, John spent the bulk of his professional career as a manager at NYC’s Human Resources Administration. Among numerous assignments, John served as a Special Assistant to several Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, helped establish the agency’s Office of Community Affairs, served as HRA’s representative on the NYS body that oversaw the administration of the State’s Home Energy Assistance Program, directed the Contract Office for the Division of AIDS Services (the current HASA), and was the Director of HRA’s Division of Accounts Payable and Reporting. John currently serves as a manager in the Department of Social Services Fiscal Office.
SubjectNeighborhood planning ; New York (N.Y.). City Council ; Municipal government ; New York (State)--Politics and government ; New York (N.Y.). Human Resources Administration
Cite AsOur Streets, Our Stories collection, Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History
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