Roitman Chabad Center at Cornell Gets Green Light For Building Expansion

by CrownHeights.info

Taking a lesson from what it says in the Megillah, “Kinu ma Shekiblu Kvar”, Chabad of Cornel, in Ithaca, has received the green light to to begin an expansion in the works since before COVID.

The Roitman Chabad Center at Cornell came up for review at the recent planning board meeting in Ithaca, and received unanimous approval.

The Chabad Center, located at 102 Willard Way, purchased a neighboring home some six years ago, and began plans to expand it’s 17,000 square foot campus. In the summer of 2020, due to COVID and lack of in person learning at the Cornell campus, the plans were put on hold.

With the go ahead from the planning board, the center is planning a two-story, 5,000 square-foot addition which includes a new commercial kitchen, Pesach kitchen, 140-person dining hall, a 50-seat community room, classrooms, men’s mikvah, and covered ground-level parking.

According to the Ithaca Voice, the Chabad Center estimates the costs to fund and maintain the addition at $4.5 million.

Further plans beyond those given the go ahead are already in the making.

The “second phase”, to be built at a later date, would add a fully-functioning synagogue and extensive Judaica library, among other features.