1515 bedford avenue demo 1 92014

The historic Fox Savoy Theater has been reduced to rubble at Lincoln Place and Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights. Demolition began last winter and moved along pretty slowly, because workers took the building down by hand and salvaged pieces of its ornate facade. The 1926 Neo-Classical structure was originally built as a movie palace for mogul William Fox (of 20th Century Fox), but in recent years a church occupied the grand white terra cotta building.

Charity Baptist Church sold the Thomas Lamb-designed building at 1515 Bedford Avenue for the low seeming price of $575,000 in 2012, as we reported. A 10-story, 114-unit apartment building designed by Issac & Stern will rise in its place at 1515 Bedford Avenue. The development will have 60 subterranean parking spots, ground-floor space for a synagogue and a roof deck, as previously reported. The developer is Realty Within Reach.

Click through for a few more photos of the demolition.

1515 Bedford Avenue Coverage [Brownstoner]
Building of the Day: 1515 Bedford Avenue [Brownstoner]

1515 bedford avenue demo 2 92014

1515 bedford avenue 3 92014


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Regarding the developer buying it for pennies, I have heard of such stories involving religious organizations without any property-related expertise at the helm. As far as I know, the best way for the churches to protect their interest is to make sure there is some oversight. But with respect to congregational church governance as found among the Baptists, there might not be much room for it, which is tragic, if the local people on the ground are not knowledgeable. However, the Episcopalians have (in theory) greater oversight, in that there might be diocesan real estate advisory committees who make recommendations to the bishop’s office regarding such sales. I know that up in Boston, their committee is staffed by lay people and clergy with lots of experience in real property, land use and development. I would imagine that the Diocese of Long Island has an equivalent.

  2. What was the offensive comments, Kate? Also has anyone looked into the legality of all the new construction housing being built exclusively for Jews on the Bed Stuy-Williamsburgh borderline (Skillman, Franklin Av, Bedford Av all bound bet Willoughby and Park Ave) .

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