Fort Tryon Jewish Center
40°51′10″N 73°56′15″W / 40.852781°N 73.937442°W
The Fort Tryon Jewish Center is a synagogue located at 524 Fort Washington Avenue between West 183rd and 184th Streets, across from Bennett Park in the Hudson Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, New York City.[1]
The congregation was founded in 1938 by long-time residents of the city and refugees from Nazi Germany. It first occupied leased space, building a modest facility in 1950, and then a spacious sanctuary that opened in 1960,[2] designed by N. J. Sapienza in the Modernist style.[3] The Torah Ark in the building has been described as "a gem of midcentury design."[4]
From 2002 on, the congregation grew as young families moved into the neighborhood.[5]
Failed real estate deal
In an April 2014 article, the New York Times described a failed real estate transaction involving the Fort Tryon Jewish Center.[4] The congregation signed an agreement with Rutherford Thompson of Thompson Development, which planned to build a 23-story condominium building to be called "One Bennett Park".[4] Under the agreement, the developer would pay to completely renovate the synagogue in exchange for air rights and the right to situate a Fort Washington Avenue entrance to the residential tower on the congregation's property.[4] According to The Real Deal magazine, a lawsuit filed in 2010 alleged that Thompson defaulted on the loan in February 2008.[6] The synagogue was left in an unusable state, resulting in ongoing litigation, during which time the congregation met at Mother Cabrini High School,[4] and its successor since September 2014, Success Academy Washington Heights. Since July 2015, the congregation has met in the Social Hall of the Hebrew Tabernacle at 551 Fort Washington Ave.[7]
References
- ^ Dreyfus, Hannah (April 29, 2014). "Historic NYC Synagogue Fights Foreclosure". Archived from the original on 2014-05-30.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "History of the Shul". Fort Tryon Jewish Center (official website). Archived from the original on 2014-06-17.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Dunlap, David W. (2004). From Abyssinian to Zion: A Guide to Manhattan's Houses of Worship. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-12543-7., p.59
- ^ a b c d e Chaban, Matt A.V. (April 29, 2014). "A Deal That Collapsed Leaves a Manhattan Synagogue in Shambles". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2014-04-30.
- ^ Oppenheim, Rivka (August 11, 2010). "Washington Heights Jews Caught In A Growth Bind". The Jewish Week. Archived from the original on 2014-04-30.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Amalgamated sued by fellow lender for $32M at Hudson Heights condo". The Real Deal. New York, NY. November 2, 2010. Archived from the original on 2014-04-30.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Fort Tryon Jewish Center website Accessed: May 11, 2016
External links
