East 32nd Street resident Roberta Weiss and her husband went on vacation for a week last year, and when they returned home, their backyard was gone.
Over a year later, construction at neighboring 1323 East 32nd Street continues to infiltrate the Weisses’ quality of life and has left them waiting and wondering when their peaceful patch of land will be returned to them.
“It’s unconscionable what they did,” said Roberta. “They went two to three feet on my property and destroyed the patio in the back.”
The neighboring property is owned by East 17th Street Properties Inc., an entity of Beth−Israel Hospital, which operates its Kings Highway division nearby.
The hospital has entered a long−term lease with a synagogue, Kollel B’nai Torah, 2748 Nostrand Avenue, on the property, according to Robert Nadel, a member of the Fraser Civic Association and member of Beth Israel’s Hospital Council, a watchdog panel. “I think it’s overbuilding and infringing on a person’s property,” said Nadel, who has been in contact with the Weiss family. “They destroyed her garden and her backyard.”
As this paper went to press, Kollel B’Nai Torah was to go before Community Board 18 to request a variance to allow the enlargement of its synagogue, which stands in an area zoned for residential use. The board’s vote is advisory in nature only. The matter will require official sanction by the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals. At press time, a representative from the synagogue did not return a call for comment.
Tom Hernandez, president of Fraser Civic, said the renovation work on the property last year is separate from the expansion. He said his understanding is that the synagogue would like to enclose the porch, and build up an additional two stories.
While he understands the Weisses’ dilemma, the synagogue also has one. “When a house of worship has to expand, where do they go?” Hernandez asked. “This is not a drug rehabilitation center, this is not a prison. It’s a house of worship.”
In a 2008 letter to the Weiss, the synagogue said, “Our entire congregation understands your concerns and appreciates your understanding during the construction process. We will endeavour to restore your yard and fence to the original state it was prior to the construction process. Additionally, any plants destroyed or damaged will be replaced.”
