Report: 6th Street synagogue ready to hold first services since condofication

After nearly four-plus years, services will resume on March 1 at the condofied Adas Yisroel Anshe Mezritch Synagogue (or Congregation Mezritch Synagogue) at 415 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, DNAinfo reports.

Today at noon, the synagogue will celebrate its reopening by unveiling its new interior.

EVG regular Michael Hirsch got a look at the under-construction space back in November...



The synagogue — active here since 1910 — had reportedly fallen on hard times, "with a dwindling membership and few resources to maintain the building," as The New York Times noted. Previous plans called for the demolition of the building. Those plans never materialized, and a new developer, East River Partners, emerged and proposed the current arrangement calling for several luxury residences.

As part of the current agreement, the developers are providing at least $20,000 annually to the congregation for the next 198 years ... East River also gave the synagogue a $180,000 "fit-out allowance" to design and rebuild the sanctuary and other spaces, like offices or meeting rooms in the basement.

Per DNAinfo:

Rabbi Paul Ackerman, who served as the head of the congregation for more than four decades, didn't live to see the synagogue's second life — he died months after the deal was made, leaving the century-old structure in the hands of the synagogue board.

The deceased rabbi's son, Sandy Ackerman, now serves as vice president and secretary of that board, and says the historic structure’s restoration would have made his father proud.

“I’m happy for my dad — my father would have loved this,” said Sandy Ackerman.

Per the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, "Congregation Mezritch Synagogue appears to be the sole remaining operating tenement synagogue in the East Village, and thus is an important link to what was once perhaps the most significant Jewish community in America."

The three luxury residences here range in price from $2.95 million (second floor) to $4.4 million for the duplex penthouse, which has two private terraces. You can visit the official 415 site here for more details.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Condos at former East 6th Street synagogue will start at just under $3 million

Sidewalk bridge comes down as condo conversion continues at former East 6th Street synagogue

History reimagined with $4.4 million penthouse at former 6th Street synagogue

Check out the penthouse at the synagogue-turned condos on 6th Street

Some more details on the condos at the former East 6th Street synagogue

[Rendering via the 415 website]

The Times recaps what has transpired to date (with some new details) about the former Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

As you probably know, the historic building is being converted from a house of assembly to three houses of condos, with prices ranging from $2.95 million to $4.4 million (that unit includes two terraces).

A few passages from the Times then:

The congregation that has occupied the building since 1910 will still be there, on the ground floor and the basement level. In fact, the condominium deal has allowed the synagogue and its building to survive.

Two of the apartments include the synagogue’s original, newly restored stained-glass windows, and one also has an original door, now with glass cutouts to let in light, as part of a living room wall.

And!

As part of the current agreement, the developers are providing at least $20,000 annually to the congregation for the next 198 years, in addition to a $600,000 payment up front. East River is also giving the synagogue a $180,000 “fit-out allowance” for the synagogue to design and rebuild the sanctuary and other spaces, like offices or meeting spaces in the basement.

Also!

The developers received permission to bump up part of the roof a little to create the second level of the penthouse, though the change is not visible from the sidewalk.

It may not be visible from the sidewalk directly in front of the building, but the addition is noticeable from across Sixth Street and in Village View. It's also in plain view in the rendering on the 415 website.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Condos at former East 6th Street synagogue will start at just under $3 million

Sidewalk bridge comes down as condo conversion continues at former East 6th Street synagogue

History reimagined with $4.4 million penthouse at former 6th Street synagogue

History reimagined with $4.4 million penthouse at former 6th Street synagogue

[Photo from last month by Michael Hirsch]

Sales on the three luxe condos at the former Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue are underway, as Curbed noted yesterday.

There are just two renderings to gawk at for now in the building with the tagline "History reimagined … For modern living."





And here are some of the amenities via the official 415 site:

Residences:
Direct entry via keyed elevator
4”-wide plank oak flooring throughout
Original stained glass windows in second and third floor residences

Kitchen:
Statuarietto Venato marble countertop and backsplash
Dornbracht Elio pullout spray faucet
Summit 24” two-zone wine refrigerator in Penthouse
InSinkErator garbage disposal

Master bathroom:
Herringbone pattern Cambric Persian White Classico honed marble tile floors
Bianco Bello polished marble tile walls
Custom double-sink vanity with honed Bianco Bello marble countertop
Deep soaking bathtub

And what will that Herringbone pattern Cambric Persian White Classico honed marble tile floors cost you?

Per Curbed:

[C]onsidering the size of the apartments and the location, they're pricey: the second-floor two-bed is $2.95 million; the third-floor unit is $3.25 million; and that penthouse, which has two private terraces, is asking $4.4 million.

Not mentioned anywhere is the proximity to the all-new Dunkin' Donuts on First Avenue and East Sixth Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Condos at former East 6th Street synagogue will start at just under $3 million

Sidewalk bridge comes down as condo conversion continues at former East 6th Street synagogue

Sidewalk bridge comes down as condo conversion continues at former East 6th Street synagogue

Workers have removed the sidewalk bridge from outside the former Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St., EVG reader Michael Hirsch reports.

The under-renovation space, which includes an additional level, will house three condos... with pricing starting at $2.95 million…



The slogan for the residences here between Avenue A and First Avenue: "History reimagined … For modern living."

To date, the teaser website just has contact info about the condos. No sign of interior renderings or other details just yet.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Condos at former East 6th Street synagogue will start at just under $3 million

Condos at former East 6th Street synagogue will start at just under $3 million

[EVG photo from 2013]

There's now a teaser website for the three condos that are being built at the former Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St.

Unfortunately, there's not much info there… except for the slogan: "History reimagined … For modern living" and some contact info.

And there's a rendering of sorts… which also shows the new top floor…



At the time when the condo plans were first made available several years back, some neighbors and preservationists were concerned about the size and scope of the new level.

As for pricing, the sign that arrived outside the under-renovation building notes that the condos start at $2.95 million…



As previously cut-n-pasted: The landmarked building between Avenue A and First Avenue was reportedly in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The synagogue will retain some space on the ground floor for their use.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Synagogue penthouse comes into view on East 6th Street

A milestone of sorts to note about the condo conversion of the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St.: the penthouse addition has (mostly) arrived.

At the time when the condo plans were first made available, some neighbors and preservationists were concerned about the size and scope of the new level. In March 2013, architect Joseph Pell Lombardi reportedly told CB3's Landmarks Subcommittee that the addition would not be visible from the street — per guidelines set forth by the Lower East Side/East Village Historic District.

To prove this, he installed a mock-up with orange cones showing where the penthouse would be setback from the rest of the building. We checked it out...and while the cones were not visible from the sidewalk, you could spot them a few steps in on the Village View property across the street, which is not in the Historic District.

The Landmarks Preservation reportedly approved the plans in April 2013, though they did ask the applicant to address the visibility of the rooftop addition by either setting it back further, reducing the scale, using a darker color, or choosing a different cladding material, per the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.

We took the top three photos here from Village View yesterday morning ... showing the penthouse ...





We returned later in the day… the penthouse is noticeable from the south side of the street as well…



… though not from out front…



Of course, the penthouse at this stage is particularly noticeable with its yellow DensGlass® Sheathing. Be curious to see what the final product looks like.

As previously cut-n-pasted: The landmarked building between Avenue A and First Avenue was reportedly in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The synagogue will retain space on the ground floor for their use.

The developers previously told the Daily News that sales for the three units will start this fall.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Construction watch: 415 E. 6th St.

We haven't checked in on the conversion of the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St. into luxury condos in four-plus months.

EVG contributor Derek Berg took a quick look inside yesterday…



Back in January, the Daily News reported that sales for the three units will start this fall.

The landmarked building between Avenue A and First Avenue was reportedly in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The renovations include a penthouse addition and an elevator. The synagogue will retain space on the ground floor for their use.

"Some people are purists and they wanted to keep the building exactly as it was," Robert Rand, president of the synagogue's board, told the Daily News. "But that would have been tantamount to benign neglect. This was the key to survival."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

About the condofication of the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue on East 6th Street

About the condofication of the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue on East 6th Street

[Photo from April 2014 by Bobby Williams]

Renovations continue to convert the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St. into luxury condos.

The landmarked building between Avenue A and First Avenue was in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The renovations include a penthouse addition and an elevator. The synagogue will reportedly retain space on the ground floor for their use.

The Daily News offered up a few more details about the plans here. For starters, sales for the three units will commence this fall, though developer Jody Kriss of East River Partners declined to discuss pricing.

In addition, East River Partners are planning "to pay an annual maintenance fee to keep the shul running for 200 more years."

And what about the controversy regarding the condo conversion when the plans were first announced?

"Back when we started the construction, people would curse me out," Kriss added. "But when they found out that we were preserving the synagogue, and not demolishing it, they wanted to shake my hand, instead."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Activity at the soon-to-be-condoed former synagogue on East 6th Street

We haven't noticed too much activity lately at the soon-to-be-condoed Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St.

However, yesterday, EVG reader Michael Hirsch spotted workers bringing in a load of rebar for the building between Avenue A and First Avenue...



"We are excited to be fully approved and beginning construction soon," Jody Kriss, principal and co-founder of East River Partners, told us via email.

As previously cut-n-pasted reported, the city approved the condo-conversion plans last December. Workers will renovate the building and add two floors.

The landmarked building was in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The renovations include a penthouse addition and an elevator. The synagogue will reportedly retain space on the ground floor and basement for their use.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Torah ark from East Village synagogue finds new home on Wall Street

[Photo from April by Bobby Williams]

The ornate Torah ark from the soon-to-be-condoed Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St. has been been moved to Episcopal St. Paul's Chapel, part of Trinity Wall Street.

According to The Wall Street Journal:

Changing demographics and a real estate deal played into this ark's path to an Episcopal church. Local historians and preservationists say Anshei Meseritz, built in 1910, was the last surviving tenement shul in the East Village. It was one of hundreds of similar shuls created to memorialize the birthplaces of immigrants living in what is now the East Village and Lower East Side.

The aron ha kodesh, or sacred ark, at Anshei Meseritz filled most of a back wall, reaching at least 12 feet high to a stained-glass window. The white and gold ark, with its painted faux marble, plump carved birds, striped spheres and a mix of Hebrew and Yiddish writing, represented a mix of new and old-world design...

As previously reported, the city approved the condo-conversion plans last December. Workers will renovate the building and add two floors.

The landmarked building between Avenue A and First Avenue was in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The renovations include a penthouse addition and an elevator. The synagogue will reportedly retain space on the ground floor and basement for their use.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

Stained-glass windows removed ahead of condo conversion at Congregation Mezritch Synagogue

There's finally activity to report at the soon-to-be-condoed Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth St.

On Wednesday, workers removed the stained-glass windows here where Eastern European immigrants founded the synagogue in 1892, per Goggla's photo above.

Otherwise, it has been pretty quiet here.

As previously reported, the city approved the condo-conversion plans back on Dec. 27. Workers will renovate the building and add two floors.

The landmarked building was in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The renovations include a penthouse addition and an elevator. The synagogue will reportedly retain space on the ground floor and basement for their use.

The sign out front points to a winter 2015 completion.

And if you're keeping track at home, this is just one of 26 NYC houses of worship that are being replaced by condos.


[Photo from April by Bobby Williams]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Construction watch: 415 E. Sixth St.

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

We haven't spotted much activity of late over at 415 E. Sixth St., where there's a condo conversion in the works for the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue. A sign out front notes that the project is expected to be completed by the winter of 2015…



The city approved the plans back on Dec. 27 … Workers will be rehabbing the building and adding two floors here at an estimated cost of $520,000, per DOB documents.

As previously noted, the landmarked building was in disrepair and the congregation's population had dwindled. Synagogue leaders signed a 99-year lease with East River Partners worth some $1.2 million. The renovations include a penthouse addition and an elevator. The synagogue will reportedly retain space on the ground floor and basement for their use.

DOB records show the project is still waiting approval on several fronts, including new sprinkler heads and "installation of manual and automatic heat detection system."

In 2008, Kushner Companies was reportedly close to purchasing the building. However, the deal to demolish it and replace it with condos fell through.

Eastern European immigrants founded the synagogue in 1892.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Play spot the potential penthouse atop the East Village synagogue

A final look inside the Anshei Meseritz synagogue on East Sixth Street

Plan to add condos to historic East Sixth Street synagogue back on

Tomorrow night, CB3's Landmarks Subcommittee will hear proposed plans about a "facade restoration" for the Congregation Mezritch Synagogue at 415 E. Sixth Street.

Synagogue leaders have applied to add one story to the height of the structure, which is now part of the newish East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. (The proposed alteration is from the offices of Preservation Architect Joseph Pell Lombardi.)

There are flyers about the proposed restoration/addition posted nearby.



The proposal notes that the addition will be set back, and not visible to the public.



However, the plans don't get too specific about the interior portions of the building. (You can find a PDF of the plans here.) It appears the basement will contain space for a "community facility," with at least three or four residences taking up the remainder of the building. The plans also show the addition of an elevator.

Back in 2008, there were plans to demolish the Synagogue, which is just east of First Avenue. The plans, which called for a six-story condo, eventually fell through.

In 2010, more news surfaced about the historic building's deteriorating condition. Structure aside, the congregation dwindled to the point of not being able to attract minyan — the minimum of 10 men required by Jewish law — for some services. The hope was to add condos on top of the building to raise the money to upgrade the facilities. (Read The Villager's story on it from 2010 here.)



As the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP) has noted, "the landmark designation does not cover the interior of the building (few landmark designations cover building interiors, and religious edifices by law can never be interior landmarks). Landmark designation also does not control or regulate how a building is used."

After Wednesday's meeting, the application will be heard at the Landmarks Preservation Commission's public hearing on March 19. No time has been set yet for this. GVSHP has much more background information on all this right here.