Upper West Side Synagogue Tapped For Registers of Historic Places

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — An Upper West Side synagogue is one of 22 properties being recommended to the State and National Registers of Historic Places by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday.

Congregation Ohab Zedek, located on West 95th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues, was built in the 1920s for a congregation of Hungarian origin as New York City became home to one of the world's largest Jewish populations, according to the state.

"The rich history of New York helped shape the history of this nation and the designation of these 22 additional sites to will help ensure that these places and their histories are preserved for New Yorkers and visitors alike for generations to come," Cuomo said in a statement.

The designation on the registers would mean the congregation would be eligible to apply for and receive state grants and state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits for revitalization work on the Synagogue, Cuomo announced. In 2016, $748 million was generated in state and federal credit to revitalize historic buildings in New York state.

New York State currently has more than 120,000 buildings, structures and sites designated on the National Register of Historic Places.

"I congratulate the property owners for winning this notable distinction," Rose Harvey, commissioner of the State office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, said in a statement." It is an important step in embracing historic preservation as a tool to create jobs, promote tourism, expand housing and encourage private investment, all while preserving natural resources."

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