Tuesday, October 29, 2013

[Updated] East 14th Street synagogue up for sale considered for landmark designation


[Image via Manhattan Sideways]

As we reported on Oct. 1, the Tifereth Israel Town and Village Synagogue on East 14th Street is for sale for possible development.

Upon hearing of the sale, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and a coalition of East Village, preservation, and Jewish history groups reached out to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) urging them to consider the building for landmark designation. (Find the group's letter here.)

According to the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, the building has an amazing history, having served as first a German Baptist Church, then a Ukranian Autocephalic Orthodox Church, and then a Conservative Synagogue for the last 50 years. Interestingly enough, the building was calendared by the LPC and considered for landmark designation in 1966, but they never acted upon it.

Now in response to the group's request, the LPC will hold a hearing on the potential landmark designation of the property today. (Find the PDF notice here.)

"We’re very glad that this wonderful building will get its proverbial day in court, and we are optimistic that the Commission will find it worthy of designation," said Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.

Updated 8:02
Turns out that the LPC hearing on the synagogue has been laid over to another month. No word just yet on a new date.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] East 14th St. synagogue on the market for conversion to residential, commercial use

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So the luxury condo will have a defunct-synagogue face. That makes such a difference. Like the former police headquarters on Centre Street.

Anonymous said...

Mary Help (of Christians) Us!