A New Beis Medrash Takes Shape Behind 770, Spacious Learning Hall Advances at Remarkable Speed
by CrownHeights.info
A significant new chapter in the development of the area surrounding 770 Eastern Parkway is taking shape on Union Street, where construction is advancing at a remarkable pace on a new Beis Medrash intended to provide much-needed learning space for bochurim and the wider Lubavitch community.
Located directly behind Lubavitch World Headquarters, on the site historically associated with Kollel Menachem, the new facility is planned as a spacious, climate-controlled study hall with approximately 4,500 square feet of interior space and an impressive 20-foot ceiling. The project is intended to accommodate more than 300 people, providing a substantial new setting for Torah study in the heart of Crown Heights.
Recent updates have shown the work progressing from the installation of structural beams to intensive site preparation and earthmoving. By October 25th, reports described crews working at an accelerated pace, including lowering the floor level to bring the new learning space into alignment with the main zal at 770.
With the Kinus Hashluchim approaching, the project has become a particularly visible example of the effort to meet the community’s immediate needs while keeping longer-term plans for the headquarters in view.
The project has been described as a temporary, one-story community facility, with climate control intended to make the space suitable for use throughout the year. Its temporary character is significant: the structure is intended to address immediate needs without foreclosing the possibility of further development on the property.
Rather than waiting for a much larger, long-term building project to be resolved, the new Beis Medrash is designed to provide usable space now.
The project carries particular significance because of the history of the property.
The Kollel was established by the Rebbe in 5722 (1962) under the auspices of Machne Israel and the Rebbe’s Mazkirus. It operated at 1451 and 1453 Union Street until 5760 (2000), when it moved to its current location on Kingston Avenue. The Union Street buildings were left with the intention that they would eventually be renovated.As the need for additional learning space around 770 continued to grow, discussions about the property gained renewed momentum in 5781 (2021). A temporary structure emerged as a practical solution: provide a usable Beis Medrash for the present while preserving the site’s potential for a more extensive project in the future.That approach is now becoming a reality.
The new facility represents a return to active communal use for a property with deep roots in Lubavitch’s institutional history. It also reflects cooperation among several organizations and neighboring property owners to address a shared need.
According to recent reporting, the project is being led by the Vaad Habinyan, operating under the auspices of Machne Israel, Agudas Chassidei Chabad and Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch. Kollel Menachem and neighboring property owners have also been involved in developing the arrangement.
