After requests from the Bayonne Historic Preservation Commission, a redeveloper has saved parts of a 110-year-old synagogue following its demolition as plans to build a residential redevelopment on the site move forward.
By Dan Israel/Hudson County View
The Bayonne Planning Board is set to hold a public hearing next month for an application to construct a multi-family apartment building at 1012-1022 Avenue C and 53-57 West 48th Street, the former site of the “Uptown Synagogue” also known as the Ohav Sholom.
The application will be heard at the board’s June meeting at City Council Chambers in City Hall, 630 Avenue C, at 6 p.m.
John and Maryan LLC is seeking preliminary and final major site plan approval to build a five-story multi-family apartment building with 40 residential units on the now-vacant site.
The old three-story synagogue and accompanying two-story school building were dilapidated, having fallen into disrepair before demolition.
In addition, the redevelopment would include 44 parking spaces, 22 bike storage spaces, approximately 2,595 square feet of green roof space, approximately 1,150 square foot roof terrace, and various other improvements.
According to the application, the proposed use and structure are permitted as-of-right under the site’s redevelopment plan.
The developer is requesting three submission waivers for minor items, including items not submitted with the application because the submitted materials are sufficient to allow the board to make a determination for site plan approval.
Ahead of the meeting, the Bayonne Historic Preservation Commission submitted, as part of the application, comments asking the developer to preserve items from the old synagogue.
Board staffer Joe Ryan, also the city spokesman, wrote at the time that there was an ongoing constructive dialogue between the developer, people in the Jewish community, and the commission about saving windows and other artifacts from the synagogue.
While Ryan told HCV he hoped that the building would be saved and incorporated into a new structure considering familial connections to the synagogue, once it was clear it was going to be demolished, he worked with those involved to save the windows and anything else that could be salvaged.
Ryan wrote in the commission’s comments that there also exists some proposals for placing historic plaques and photographs in the new building.
He hopes that going forward, developers will look for new uses for old buildings or creatively incorporated existing exteriors into new developments.
Ryan also attached a letter from former longtime resident Renée Cherow-O’Leary, who grew up in the synagogue and embodied the board’s calls to preserve pieces of local history related to the synagogue.
According to Cherow-O’Leary, the windows are of significance because there were stained glass windows honoring members of the congregation including a window in honor of her grandparents.
While Cherow-O’Leary initially was not in favor of the project, at the time calling for a meeting center for community gatherings or a community theater at a renovated Ohav Sholom instead, developer John Beskaly said she and other neighbors are now on board with the plans after the developer worked with the community to preserve stained glass windows.
Beskaly told HCV that he worked collaboratively with Ryan and the Historic Preservation Commission, as well as Cherow-O’Leary and other neighbors, to preserve the aforementioned stained glass windows.
In addition, Beskaly agreed to install a plaque in the lobby of the new building honoring the history of the synagogue that once stood on the site, another ask of the board and Cherow-O’Leary.
“Ryan and Renee and other neighbors are in favor of this project,” Beskaly said.
“The previous owners kind of had abandoned it. It had a bunch of rodents and infestations that were causing a lot of disturbance in the neighborhood. So with the demo, it really helped clean up the area from that perspective.”
(Editor’s note: This story was updated with additional information and comment from the developer.)
It’s already been demolished. So what now?