Kent Avenue Synagogue: What a Shame
How f’d up is the situation with the makeshift synagogue on Kent Avenue in South Williamsburg? Very. It’s been almost a year since the 17,000-square-foot building was thrown up in a kind of urban barn-raising (200 people working in shifts 24 hours a day for 20 days) during which one worker was seriously injured and…
How f’d up is the situation with the makeshift synagogue on Kent Avenue in South Williamsburg? Very. It’s been almost a year since the 17,000-square-foot building was thrown up in a kind of urban barn-raising (200 people working in shifts 24 hours a day for 20 days) during which one worker was seriously injured and a Stop Work Order was issued. Despite the less-than-exemplary track record during construction, the congregation was able to wrangle a Temporary Place of Assembly permit for 10 dates in September and October of last year, which is when this video was made. (Irony of all ironies: the synagogue is next door to a fire station.) Since last fall, the owner (which is listed on DOB filings as Congregation Kahal Adath Krasna of 1623 44th Street) has not lifted a finger to finish the exterior of the building and has been denying access to buildings inspectors who have received numerous tips that it’s being used illegally as a school. The building has yet to receive a Certificate of Occupancy. Our question is who’s running interference for the synagogue? Is the political clout of the Hasidim so great that they can just skate by for a year in clear violation of fire safety and buildings department regulations with no consequences?
Sin-A-Gog Outrage: This Is Getting Ridiculous [Brownstoner]
Synagogue Needs Some Skin, Baby! [Brownstoner]
GMAP P*Shark DOB
Cults are always making mad money off poor people with poor judgement and no education. It’s oppression by aesthetic starvation. One of the easiest ways to brainwash people is to make them wear ugly uncomfortable clothes, put prison bars at every opening to the outside world, and force them to pray in places like this.
And this country is a breeding ground for cults. (Until they start weilding weapons and denouncing the government, of course).
At least the “Brownstone God” would have some sense of aesthetic.
All of this just reeks of racism.
How would you all react if this was a church erected for the brownstone god?
So much hatred for the Hasidims on this thread, I don’t like them either but never the less. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have all the fedders in the nabes. Now that’s some quality construction.
The fight between the brothers is old news. The two congregations were beating each other up in the streets not more than a six months ago.
http://www.thebrooklynrail.org/archives/DEC05/LOCAL/familyfeud.html
They clearly have no intention of ever completing the facade of this dump. Most normal people would put those fancy Hebrew letters on AFTER the brickwork or siding or hay (whatever the hell these slobs would have used) was complete, not on the Tyvek. I guess, in that capacity, we should just forget about ever seeing this place complete and hope that the “other Synagogue” that they’re supposedly waiting for is completed (WITH facade) soon.
I actually think it looks quite nice.
It’s the sort of place that looks like a great physical manifestation of God on earth. That ugly cathedral at Rouen has nothing on this. Hagia Sophia my foot!
Maybe they’ll make it even nicer with some lovely particleboard and more deli awnings as well as some plastic window sheeting and more payphones. (Attached to the building this time guys! How can I have a direct connection to god via the building if the payphone is free-standing???)
A little bit of litter on the street out front should emphasize the cleanliness and order of God too.
Now THAT would be a nice synagogue.
Anon 12:30, if true, your connection to the Great Rabbi Brother Schism is the big “AHA.” Calling intrepid investigative journalists: There is one heck of a story here waiting to be told!
To anon at 12:30–the point is that they don’t “work the system.” They flagrantly flaunt it and get away with it. Working the system would imply that they knew the law inside and out and knew every loophole. That’s work they’re not bothering to do, and I find it an affront to every other citizen of New York. If I were a developer who had experienced any trouble with DOB, I would sue the city for discriminatory practices and use this as exhibit A.