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Community Corner

Prospect Park and Brooklyn Museum to Get Cut of Brooke Astor's $100M

On Wednesday the estate of philanthropist Brooke Astor was finally settled, and New York City parks and museums will receive $100 million in donations.

The five-year fight over the estate of socialite and philanthropist Brooke Astor was settled on Wednesday, with $100 million to be given to various New York City museums, schools and parks – including Prospect Park – says the New York Times.

According to the article, $30 million will go toward the creation of the Brooke Astor Fund for New York City Education, which will dole out grants to improve city public schools. The Times also says that “millions more” of Astor’s money will go to Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Public Library, city playgrounds and other cultural institutions.

Locally, Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum are expected to get a cut of the fortune, but it is not yet clear now much money will be given.

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According to the Times, Astor’s money was tied up in legal red tape for years when her son, Anthony Marshall, was convicted of stealing from her fortune – Marshall is expected to receive only half of his promised $31 million, and will have no say in what charities receive donations from the Astor estate.

Paul Nelson, a spokesman for the Prospect Park Alliance told Patch that they are excited to receive the donation, however they do not know how much or when they will get the funds.

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“This is wonderful news. We are enormously grateful to Mrs. Astor for her long time support of Prospect Park," Nelson said.

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