“Diana admits that finding backing for her dream, and more than just her own dream, has been slightly disorienting. The bakery is intended to double as a community center, and has booths and designer furniture as well as chalkboards (“Rob wanted the community to be engaged,” Mr. Brice said) and a professional kitchen in the basement with walk-in refrigerators.

“We thought, ‘Is it for real?’” Diana remembered. “Even going to designing meetings was surreal.”

Those were at Mapos, a Bowery architecture and design firm that has done work for LivePerson, Mr. LoCascio’s tech company. “We shared our vision,” Diana explained. “They helped us come up with different sketches.”“