NY Gov Nominates UWS Synagogue To National Register Of Historic Places

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A century-old Upper West Side synagogue was just nominated by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Hochul announced 13 new nominations on Thursday, which included the Young Israel of the West Side Synagogue at 210 W. 91st St., between West End and Broadway.

"These nominations reflect parts of our past and demonstrate New Yorkers capacity for growth, innovation, demonstration, and change," Hochul wrote in a news release. "Adding these sites to our historic registers emphasizes the roles that they have played - and will continue to play - in New York's story."

The UWS synagogue built in 1922 includes a three-story sanctuary space and an attached four-story community building. It was designed by architect William Tachau, and is "an example of early twentieth-century American synagogue design with its Classic Revival style."

The governor's office added that the construction of the house of worship coincided with the relocation of many Jewish residents from Harlem to the Upper West Side in the years after World War I.

Of the 13 announced nominations from the governor's office on Thursday, the Young Israel of the West Side Synagogue was one of three from New York City, and the only one located in Manhattan.

Getting placed on the State and National Register listing can assist owners in revitalizing properties, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits.

The recommendation now needs to be approved by the State Historic Preservation Officer, before it gets placed on the New York State Register of Historic Places. At that point, it can be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where it is reviewed and voted on again.

The synagogue is still active today, and you can find out more on its website.