The site of the former synagogue last year.
Developers have received construction permits to replace the Shaare Zedek Synagogue with a new 14-story condo building with a synagogue on the bottom. Landsea Homes and Leyton Properties will be developing the site at 212 West 93rd Street. They’ve already started work on the foundation.
Neighbors had attempted to stop the sale of the building, which was constructed in the 1920s.
The new building will include 20 luxury residences, and 70% of the residences will have private outdoor space. Eran Chen of ODA is the architect. No renderings were available.
The synagogue prior to demolition.
It’s a shame the developer couldn’t see the appeal of prewar architecture. Imagine if they recommissioned that temple facade as a residential building entrance. What a grand place to come home that would have been!
We went through this at the time; current façade is not nor can be easily made ADA compliant. This must happen anytime there is a substantial renovation and or new construction.
Besides, that façade looks what it is; a house of worship, bank, or even mausoleum, hardly something that will sell high end housing.
I’m sure you’ve figured out how to leave the facade and get construction equipment and materials into the site in an efficient and affordable way.
Also, what’s your plan for putting windows in the front? Or are you banking on the residents preferring a facade to windows?
I’m not an architect, but there are plenty of ways to preserve and adapt building exteriors in an expansion effort. (The Hearst tower comes obviously to mind, as does the aborted church conversion at 96th and CPW.) Thanks for your productive feedback, though.
Will Shaare Zedek get a space in this new building similar to the arrangement Habonim has with the proposed 66th Street building?
If so, win-win for everyone.
No it’s not! I’m pretty sick of relgious entities enjoying tax free ownership and then making a bundle selling their properties.
Yes, the synagogue will remain in the bottom floors of the building.
Does anyone know if they will use that beautiful window again??
It’s the end of an era.
For a look at heritage, turn to West Side Rag
and this irreplaceable view of the “synagogue
prior to demolition.” We’ll never see the like of this traditional and historically significant architecture, and hear the echoes of its members of old, coming together to chat and pray. It’s a view to be saved, now that such bldgs. are a diminishing species. Thanks for running the photo.
Pick an area; UWS, Harlem, Lower East Side, East Village, UES, not to mention all over Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx; congregations of all faiths are facing same issue. Dwindling numbers of active members, and being saddled with barns of buildings that are often old and need of work.
Being not for profit entities the largest asset for most houses of worship/congregations is their land holdings. At some point it just makes sense to strike a deal, take the money and find something smaller, that is new, and more suited to a congregation as things now are, and likely going forward.
Religions of all faiths in the city have seen declines in active members since the 1960’s. Congregants died, moved to the suburbs, had fewer children, etc… Meanwhile this city like much of the country has become increasingly secular.
It’s great that we’re adding market rate housing to this area, and great that the congregation is able to save itself by doing so. But boy am I going to miss that façade.
Read your money…”IN GOD WE TRUST”….that is the religion of today
The New Upper Wealth Side.
Congregation Shaare Zedek has a rich history, but leave us not be blind to other things.
First and foremost is the shanda of Bayside cemetery:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayside_Cemetery_(Queens)#Decline
https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/bayside-cemetery-spruced-up-but-many-questions-linger/
There are two sides to everything. While some moan about the loss of a building; Congregation Shaare Zedek has other worries on their plate.
By order of NYS attorney general eight million dollars from sale of synagogue must be set aside for repair, maintenance and rehabilitation of Bayside cemetery, and to see that it remains so in perpetuity.
https://abc7ny.com/religion/7-on-your-side-cemetery-still-in-dangerous-state-despite-deal-/3675807/
Shaare Zedek will be in better shape as a congregation. Just because a building is old doesn’t mean it is worthy of preservation.
The facade of that synagogue, which was my next door neighbor for many years, looked to me like an enormous mausoleum.
Answers to many queries are in the archives of WSR.
Congregation had promised the stained glass windows and certain interior bits (ceiling designs)will not be destroyed. One assumes this to mean they would be removed, put into storage for future use. Or perhaps just sold, don’t know.
The congregation will own the first three floors of new building (cellar, first and second floor, with access to terrace on third floor.
Congregation is putting $18.3 million from the sale towards construction of new synagogue, and $8 million set aside for a maintenance fund for Bayside Cemetery.
That leaves about $8 million remaining, of which some fund will obviously go to furnishing, and decorating the new space.
Even with $7 million remaining, that sum will make an excellent start for an endowment. Wisely and carefully invested the congregation of roughly 80 or 100 members (depending upon who you ask), should be set financially for foreseeable future.
What are your views on Real Estate and Religion?
Tricky that.
Far as I am concerned things worked out as they should.
Congregation was in a tight spot and thus sold the one remaining valuable asset on books.
Proceeds will give them a new space more suited to current/future needs, provides funds to settle matter of Bayside cemetery (which again was a disgrace things came to what they did), and with bit left over there will be a nice endowment. All this without one penny of taxpayer money.
In contrast busybodies forced West Park to keep that barn of a building which continues to be pulled down by gravity. More to the point taxpayer funds have been and likely will continue to be used to shore up that place.
this developer may just be adding to the de-new yorking of NY. Unbelievable. Sorry to know that you werent able to see renderings. Highly doubt that beautiful facade will live another day