The Gotham Renewal Program was a charitable fund set up by Thomas Wayne shortly before he ran for mayor. Though intended to cut through the red tape and get money to Gotham's poor, the company and its resources came under exploit by the city's criminals, particularly Carmine Falcone and his syndicate. The nature of the Renewal Company was later uncovered and exposed by the Riddler during his attacks on the city.
History[]
The Gotham Renewal Program was founded by Thomas Wayne in the days leading up to his mayoral campaign for Gotham. When it was created, it was planned to act as a charitable fund for those in need and bypass bureaucratic measures which often hampered these efforts. The finances for the Renewal Program included donations from the wealthy. The corporation also had several sections to focus on different needs, including construction, sanitation and recycling. The Gotham Orphanage was among those which would receive funding from the company.
However, shortly after Wayne's murder, the program fell into dispute and assets began to fall into the hands of Gotham's organized crime, including the Falcone Crime Syndicate and its rival Maroni Organization. Due to the lack of oversight, the funds were then used in various financial schemes, including money laundering and bribery. Due to this, the renewal funds were used in to fund Gotham's criminals and cut services to those it'd intended to help. Bruce Wayne was also sent files of its finances, though his commitment to his vigilante operations as Batman led him to neglect these.
At some point prior to Batman's crusade, Falcone grew power hungry for complete control over the program. Through corrupt officials he had in his pocket, they arranged a sting operation to take out his rival and gain control of his shares in Renewal. These included the production of Drops, a narcotic produced in the Eastside Gotham Recyling facilities.
By Batman's operations, the Renewal Program had gained a reputation for being ineffective in its purposes, with some ventures being left abandoned and those in need being neglected. During the Riddler's attacks, its true nature was uncovered and exposed by the serial killer. The program's fate following Falcone's assassination is unknown, though Selina Kyle indicated it may be taken over by a new criminal.
Projects[]
- Gotham Orphanage: Formerly the home of the Wayne family, the orphanage was one of the projects funded by Renewal. However, exploitation by Falcone led to it being abandoned and falling into disrepair. The orphanage was finally closed down after a fire broke out and destroyed most of the building. One account suggests a former resident was responsible.[1]
- Gotham Recycling: Focuses on recycling, with a a depot in the Eastside of the city. Used as a front for the production of drops by Oswald Cobblepot and possibly Salvator Maroni.
- Gotham Sanitation: Focuses on hygiene and sanitation in the city.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- The Renewal Program and its subsections are all given the "Gotham" name, possibly referencing various companies which had the city in their title.