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UPDATE: Gotham Org. Reveal Plans for Beth Hamedrash Hagadol

(Beth Hamedrash Hagodol in May, 2017 - days after it was burnt down)


      Last week, after almost two years, plans for the remains of Beth Hamedrash Hagadol synagogue became public. The Gotham Organization, in partnership with the Chinese American Planning Council, who own the parking lot behind the synagogue and operate the Hong Ning Housing for the Elderly building (seen to the right of the synagogue in the photo above), revealed their dazzling new renderings for multiple glass high-rises at 60 Norfolk Street. 




    Two structures are proposed, a 30-story mixed-use building (the "Suffolk Building"), and a 16-story residence for seniors (the "Norfolk Building"), pledging up to 55% of the residential square-footage to affordable units. The Suffolk Building will house around 19,000sf of commercial real estate, as well as the new headquarters of the Chinese American Planning Council; and the Norfolk Building will provide almost 3,800sf of space for Beth Hamedrash Hagodol, to serve as a cultural heritage/research center and small synagogue –– with the express condition that BHH have the right to convert this space into office units at will.
      While multiple local news agencies have reported on these developments, only Bowery Boogie pointed out this option to turn over a site of Jewish heritage to office space, seemingly without restriction, as "rather curious". While this parcel of land was not a part of the original Seward Park Urban Renewal Area, and therefore was not included in the re-vamped Seward Park Mixed-Use Development Plan (also known as Essex Crossing), it seems clear to me that the development of the former Beth Hamedrash Hagodol synagogue in the wake of its destruction is another investment in the "mixed-use" remodeling of the Lower East Side. There is nothing curious about this to me –– in fact it may be one of the only transparent parts of this entire arrangement –– "mixed-use" development seems to me designed to appear like a dynamic approach to land-use when it is in fact only a sweet coating which allows for the massive re-zoning and re-appropriation of land. The priority here is obviously not maintaining a connection to the history of the oldest Russian Orthodox congregation in the United States, but securing a grasp on the swathes of luxury office and commercial real estate throughout the LES.
      This is clear in the other mysterious part of the Gotham Organizations' plan (officially "GO Broome Street Development"): the proposal describes an arrangement with the current owner of "Lot 95", the 5-story building on the corner of Suffolk and Grand, which will coordinate a "small commercial addition" alongside the development at the primary sites. This is a carefully orchestrated overhaul of the entire block if approved –– and they are only giving residents until March 8 to voice their concerns over these plans! If you live in the area and think that these plans should not only be more transparent, but earmark more if not all the residential space for affordable units, go to this website and send an email by clicking on the "comment" link.


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