Queens, NY – Community Board Votes Expansion of Fresh Meadows Synagogue Unsafe

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    According to Community Board 8 members, Congregation Torath Haim Ohel Sara in Kew Gardens Hills illegally expanded its building at 144-11 77th Avenue, Photo by Christina SantucciQueens, NY – A Fresh Meadows synagogue’s recent expansion should not be legalized by the city because it poses a danger to its inhabitants and the community, according to Community Board 8 members.

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    CB 8 representatives overwhelmingly denied a resolution that called for the city to approve construction they said was illegally done by Congregation Torath Haim Ohel Sara, at 144-11 77th Ave.

    Community board members, who voted 33-1 against the resolution at their June 9 meeting, said the synagogue illegally expanded into a three-story-high building that nearly covers the entire lot and is now seeking a variance from the city to allow them to occupy what they have already built.

    The city has slapped 26 violations on the site, including a full vacate order — to which residents said they have not adhered.

    “There’s a little space between the houses on either side, and there’s practically no back or front yard,” said CB 8 member Patricia Dolan. “They’ve done basically everything they could to get everybody very upset.”

    The attorney representing the congregation did not return requests for comment.

    Residents said the synagogue began expanding its operation around September 2009, and CB 8 District Manager Marie Adam-Ovide said her office has been flooded with calls about the construction. Dolan said synagogue officials have mentioned they expect to have 200 or more people in the building, which the structure may not be able to hold.

    “If something were to go wrong in that building and children were there, we could have a great tragedy on our hands,” Dolan said.

    CB 8 representatives emphasized they had tried to work with the synagogue, and Dolan noted the area where the congregation is located has more than 60 synagogues.

    “We’ve welcomed and supported every one of these buildings, but this became an issue of safety,” she said.

    Following a meeting with CB 8 in April, synagogue officials said they would obtain independent, professional certification that the building meets all the requirements of the city building codes and is safe for the congregation.

    Additionally, they said they would settle all pending violations and fines. Community Board 8 individuals said they would in return support the synagogue’s request for a variance.

    But Adam-Ovide said representatives from the synagogue told them before last month’s CB 8 meeting that they had not been able to accomplish these measures, and the board pushed back its vote to June. When last week’s meeting came around, however, Adam-Ovide said the board had heard nothing from the synagogue.

    “The one-family home they converted, that sort of thing is allowed and they could’ve gone to the [city] Department of Buildings and done what they were supposed to do,” Adam-Ovide said. “They could’ve gotten a variance to make it bigger, but they didn’t.”


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    6 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    its a chilul hashem, not anti semitism

    COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER
    COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER
    13 years ago

    While I serve on a different Board, I can fully understand the action of Queens CB8 since there is a 2 year history of non compliance with virtually everything. No permits, unsafe scaffolding, failure to comply with a stop work order. Based on this record alone I would question the safety of the actual construction.

    We must learn to obey the laws of the land and avoid chilul Hashem like this.

    wrong
    wrong
    13 years ago

    its in kew gardens hills not fresh meadows

    Charlie Hall
    Charlie Hall
    13 years ago

    25 years ago a developer in Maryland tried to pull something like this. It built a three story building in an area zoned for two stories. It figured that the county would never deny a certificate of occupancy once the building was built.

    The developer was wrong. He had to remove the top story. We may be seeing a repeat.

    What is the problem with obeying the law? The three largest synagogues in my neighborhood have all had recent rennovations and expansions and they all cooperated fully with the authorities. For one, the Bronx building inspector worked overtime the week before Rosh Hashanah so that the new building would be able to be used for R”H and in fact the certificate of occupancy was issued at 5:15pm erev Rosh Hashanah.

    FSU Jew
    FSU Jew
    13 years ago

    This shul belongs to Jews from part of the former Soviet Union, a particular part where respect for the law was nil because everyone was on the take and fear of any contact with the government was a part of life. Building a shul where they came from was a crime of the first degree until about 1990 and even then and now requires bribery and stealth.

    Sadly, many who emigrate from there do not realize America is different and you can build and expand a shul legally and properly. Their community is now becoming more involved in the political process and this should lead to changes, especially as there is now a US born generation coming of age.