Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By simmons on June 22, 2017

The Lower East Side synagogue torched in a May inferno cannot be salvaged, according to shul reps seeking to demolish what remains of the landmark structure.

Many locations cannot be shored in a safe or practical manner, said Bryan Chester, an engineer for fire-gutted temple Beth Hamedrash Hagadol.

There is a danger of some locations of partial collapse.

Chester and congregation rabbi Mendel Greenbaum need the citys blessing to tear down the 167-year-old synagogue, because it was landmarked in 1967.

A raging, three-alarm fire ripped through the building on May 14, causing the roof to partially collapse and sending up a thick column of smoke that could be seen as far north as 14th Street and even from across the East River.

Whats left is beyond repair, and the site is so unsafe that firefighters and city workers cant even go in to complete inspections, Chester told the local community board on Tuesday night, according to blog Bowery Boogie.

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At the end of the day, we werent even able to get investigators all the way in to finish the investigation due to the instabilities, he said.

In some places, only a single brick is keeping walls from collapsing, he said. But the shuls southern tower and back wall may be preserved, according to Chester.

The structure was built at the corner of Broome and Norfolk streets in 1850 and was first known as the Norfolk Street Baptist Church.

Beth Hamedrash Hagadol bought the building in 1885 for $45,000 about $1.2 million today and it became home to one of the nations oldest Russian Orthodox Jewish congregations.

But declining membership forced the shul to shutter in 2007.

The synagogue was nearing a deal to sell its air rights to the neighboring Chinese American Planning Council and use the cash to fix up the building.

Greenbaum estimates the property would be worth about $18 million if the synagogue can be demolished. He has said he is committed to re-establishing the shul, according to blog The Lo-Down.

Police picked up David Diaz, 14, in connection with the fire on May 16, but he was later released without charges.

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The torched landmark LES synagogue can't be saved - New York Post

Category: Synagogue
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