LES Synagogue Destroyed By Fire Might Be Completely Demolished

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — The remains of the synagogue that was destroyed by a fire last month might be completely demolished, according to city documents

Mendel Greenbaum, the rabbi of the Beth Hamedrash Hagodol Synagogue, is seeking to demolish the remainders of the building, the Lo Down was first to report. The synagogue, located at 60 Norfolk St., had sat vacant and in disrepair for years before a 14-year-old set fire to the building, according to police. The March blaze demolished the synagogue's interior, days before Greenbaum was scheduled to meet with city officials to discuss the building's future. (Want more local news? Subscribe here for free breaking news, features and community updates from Patch.)

Now, in the wake of the fire, Greenbaum is moving forward with plans to remove the remains of the historic synagogue. The structure's remains are so unstable that the city's Department of Buildings has issued a full vacate order on the property. Greenbaum is seeking the approval of Community Board 3's landmarks committee, which has to approve significant changes to landmarked properties like the synagogue. The committee is scheduled to review a proposal to demolish the synagogue on Tuesday night.

The synagogue, which was originally built as a Baptist church in 1850, has been vacant since 2007 when the dwindling congregation moved to a nearby place of worship.

A teenager, who hasn't been identified by authorities because he is a minor, was arrested and accused of arson in the wake of the fire. The matter is currently under investigation by the city's Family Court Division. The teenager was released under his parents' supervision.

Read previous coverage from Patch:

• LES Synagogue Fire Investigated As City Records Reveal A Decade Of Safety Fears
• Lower East Side Synagogue Fire: Teen Charged With Arson, Police Say

Lead image via Ciara McCarthy / Patch.