A small 19th century church in Williamsburg that was once used as a synagogue will be demolished and replaced by two four-story apartment buildings, if the new owners plans go ahead.
A small 19th century church in Williamsburg that was once used as a synagogue will be demolished and replaced by two four-story apartment buildings, if the new owners plans go ahead. The quaint house of worship has sat on the corner of Leonard and Stagg streets since 1855, when it was built for a German congregation in what was then a German enclave in the borough.
Although the property is now the worse for wear and seemingly forgotten, its early 20th century tax photo shows an elegant Italianate building with neo-Classical details.
In February, the church, located at 157 Leonard Street, was sold by Action in Christ International to 157 Leonard Street LLC for $4 million, city records show. Joel Schwartz signed a mortgage for 157 Leonard St LLC.
A permit to demolish the building was applied for in September 2023, but has not been issued. Two new-building applications for the site, which includes the parking lot at 78 Stagg Street behind the church, have been submitted but neither permit has been issued yet. Both applications are for four-story apartment buildings; the one at 157 Leonard Street will have seven units and the one at 78 Stagg Street will have eight, the applications say.
Diego Aguilera Architects P.C. is the architect of record on both, and Hershey Silberstein of Blue Shine Builders Inc. is listed as the owner. No renderings have been posted on the construction fence or online.
Originally built as the German Evangelical Mission Church, in an area old maps show had a number of German businesses at the time, the structure started going up in the spring of 1855. The cornerstone was put in place in May, and in October the brick church was dedicated.
The buildings tall arched windows and doors were popular during the heyday of the Italianate style in the mid-19th century and also recall Romanesque Revival. The four pilasters across the front bring Greek Revival to the mix, and the front facades keystones are neo-Classical. Three stars of David on the roof and three more on the frieze, along with a plaque and a sign in Hebrew, identify the building as a synagogue. The cornice with its dentil molding and gable could be original or a later addition.
The church was substantially remodeled circa 1885 to 1895, and the congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1903. Around the time of the celebration, a great number of Jewish families from the east side of Manhattan moved over to Brooklyn and settled in the immediate vicinity of the church, while the German congregants moved to other parts of the city, according to an early 20th century newspaper account of the church history. With a dwindling congregation, the church moved to Ridgewood in 1904 and laid the cornerstone for a new building there in 1907.
From at least 1903 through 1915, space in the basement of the church at 157 Leonard Street was rented for use by the local public school. During that time the ownership of the building changed, and by 1914 the Congregation Lovers of Peace Synagogue (also known as Ohev Sholom Anshei Sfard) was occupying the former church. The synagogue owned the property until 1970 when it transferred the deed to the building to the School of Biblical Instruction of Brooklyn (also known as Beth Talmud De Tora Brooklyn). In 1993, the school transferred the deed to Marcos Miranda of Action in Christ Church for $80,000.
Across the road from the church is Brooklyns oldest NYCHA development, Williamsburg Houses, which was built in the 1930s.
The Leonard Street church is the latest in a years-long building sell off by churches all over the borough, which have faced declining attendance and deteriorating structures while property values have skyrocketed. Many have been demolished for new housing, including the recently torn down St. Lucy-St. Patrick in Bed Stuy, but in some cases buildings are altered or extended, and occasionally preserved and adapted for new uses.
[Photos by Susan De Vries unless noted otherwise]
Related Stories
Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
See the original post:
Apartments to Replace 19th Century Church in Williamsburg - Brownstoner
- Construction of housing project in former Church to begin with parking dispute in the rearview - Concord Monitor - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Egypt: Christian homes attacked following rumours of planned church construction | ICN - Independent Catholic News - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Moscow Patriarchy launches church building mission at Novaya Zemlya - The Independent Barents Observer - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Lawsuit: Head of the Harbor trustees broke law with vote for church project - Newsday - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- When an old church sells its building | History | newspressnow.com - News-Press Now - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- First Baptist Church of Amboy to celebrate 100th anniversary of building dedication - Shaw Local News Network - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Waterford prepares for the heartbreak of seeing its oldest church come down - Journal Times - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Why did the church collapse? South African architect says he knows - theday.com - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Craven Corp. sues Louisville Baptist Temple over development project - Canton Repository - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- A debate over the fate of Catholic Church offices and an accusation of religious bias - Idaho Statesman - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Church rebuilds a year after highway demolition | News | thefacts.com - Brazosport Facts - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Near Chicago, a Lutheran Church Finds New Life at the YMCA - Church Leaders - April 25th, 2024 [April 25th, 2024]
- Saint Patrick Church reopens three years after a fire - WFMJ - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Sale of church building to benefit two congregations - Central Penn Business Journal - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Historic Reflection: Pioneer Methodist Episcopal Church - The Village Reporter - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Church-to-treatment center project up for approval in St. Cloud - Finance and Commerce - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Fort Scott parishioners will return 'home' after construction of new church is finished - Catholic Diocese of Wichita - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Areas to open on Temple Square; Assembly Hall to close amid construction - FOX 13 News Utah - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Temples in 2023: 8 groundbreakings but temple growth not slowing - Church News - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Construction Initiative Supports Church Growth in the Peruvian Amazon - Adventist Review - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Historic Black Waco congregation, growing Hispanic church swap buildings - Waco Tribune-Herald - January 5th, 2024 [January 5th, 2024]
- Renovations update school gym built in the 1950s - Intermountain Catholic - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Church of Jesus Christ recaps year of global charity, temple proliferation - Standard-Examiner - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- For churches devastated by Middle TN tornadoes, recovery reshapes their commitment to ministry - Tennessean - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Council Bluffs' Holy Family Church to be closed and sold - The Daily Nonpareil - December 28th, 2023 [December 28th, 2023]
- Donated property for Habitat 'cluster' home draws mixed reactions - Oklahoma City Friday - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Community Board 3 to Hear Details of Proposed 20-Story Tower ... - The Lo-Down - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Plans for the Boltex Building and Belle Reve at Walker and Church - Tribeca Citizen - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Non-profit working to meet demand in affordable housing for seniors ... - WOSU Public Media - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Inside Westminster Abbey, the heart of British monarchy, and site of King Charles coronation - Firstpost - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- New Stakes and Stake Presidencies Announced in April 2023 - Church Newsroom - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Brodsky Partners With Avery Hall on Gowanus Development - The Real Deal - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- The Dart: Ford plants roots locally with a quiet life in mind - Daily ... - Dailyleader - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Upper Saddle River residents protest Jewish development on NY ... - NorthJersey.com - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Marvin Repinski: My boat is so small, the sea is so big - Austin Daily ... - Austin Herald - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- This Chinatown is divided by a freeway. A bold project could reunify the community - The Guardian US - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Sedona Airport begins new round of construction and public input - Sedona Red Rock News - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Governor Hochul Announces $875 Million in Financing For 3100 ... - ny.gov - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Portion of Queen St. closed until 2027 for Ontario Line construction ... - NOW Toronto - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Died: Rachel Kerr James, Missionary Nurse to War-Torn Vietnam ... - ChristianityToday.com - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- Albion native chronicles rise and fall of Medina Sandstone industry - Orleans Hub - May 7th, 2023 [May 7th, 2023]
- On the Porch | News, Sports, Jobs - Marshall Independent - April 21st, 2023 [April 21st, 2023]
- Powerhouse Church in 1, 000 capacity auditorium construction project ... - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Construction begins on new Victory Church | CIProud.com - CIProud.com - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- California Churches Want to Build Affordable Housing on Their Land, So Why Is It So Hard? - KQED - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Construction to begin at new Elmwood Village playground - WGRZ.com - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- First Presidency names 2 temples: Teton River Idaho and Birmingham England - Church News - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Why, for Latter-day Saints, the Washington D.C. Temple is the bedrock of the community - Church News - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Catholic Charity Rallying for Support to Fund Construction of Marian Shrine in Angola - ACI Africa - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Heres the latest on I-69 construction in Johnson County - Daily Journal - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Next phase of Huron Church construction announced, to include repairs from Tecumseh to Dorchester Road - CTV News Windsor - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Central Texas church recovering from tornado in April and now alleged theft - 25 News KXXV and KRHD - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Biden continues construction along parts of border wall started by Trump - Crux Now - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Hafners' are 2022 "Friends of the Fair" - Philip Pioneer Review - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Bucharest Archdiocese Welcomes Order to Demolish Building Near Cathedral - The Tablet Catholic Newspaper - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Southeast Park Improves Accessibility; Businesses Around the Hidden River Construction are Open; and Installation of ADA-Compliant Ramps Continues |... - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Kiambaa Church Pastor Narrates How They Were Forced to Change Its Name - Kenyans.co.ke - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Radical overhaul of major diocese announced in plan to help parishes cope with dwindling number of priests - Independent.ie - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- On its 100th anniversary, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral Moves the Bones of Its First Priest to Charlotte - From the Archdiocese - Greek... - August 4th, 2022 [August 4th, 2022]
- Construction continues on what will be the largest ... - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Temple takes shape: Sacred space will be first of its kind in Arkansas - Arkansas Online - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Recipients of 2022 Alumni Awards announced - The Baylor Lariat - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- James Matthew Peter Hughes, 54, Orange - The Record Newspapers - TheRecordLive.com - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Gov. Wolf Announces $25 Million Investment in Economic Recovery for Abandoned Mine Lands - pa.gov - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Road report: KYTC District 6 update on this week's construction projects; be alert to delays, closures - User-generated content - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- $11.8 million in Bluffton construction permits issued in 2021 - Bluffton Icon - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Baton Rouge Symphony finally returns to the River Center Theatre with a packed spring season - [225] - 225 Baton Rouge - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Alessandro Bruno Obituary - The Record/Herald News - NorthJersey.com - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Parishes partner with Habitat for Humanity to take on LAs homeless crisis - Angelus News - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Letters to the Editor: Housing, environment and the bishop of Fall River - Cape Cod Times - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Converted Summerhill church ticked all the right boxes - The Globe and Mail - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Mexicos Mayan Train: Will it hurt those its meant to help? - The Christian Science Monitor - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Structural issues at arts center an 'existential threat' to building, mission - The Suffolk News-Herald - Suffolk News-Herald - January 25th, 2022 [January 25th, 2022]
- Massive Restoration Of Logan Square's 109-Year-Old 'Red Church' Nearly Complete - Block Club Chicago - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- With a Veto by the Mayor, the Buckhead Church Development Hits a Snag - What Now Atlanta - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- New Coffee House Opening in Rock Island Mall - WQAD.com - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- Gregory Wilder: Could the LDS Church single-handedly solve world hunger? - Salt Lake Tribune - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- James Marvin Anderson Jr. | News, Sports, Jobs - The Journal - NUjournal - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- John Martin Bell, 91 - Southern Maryland News Net - Southern Maryland News Net - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]
- MON AM News: UW-Madison student team awarded $250,000 for carbon dioxide removal; Researchers discover 'unprecedented' chemical reaction -... - November 16th, 2021 [November 16th, 2021]