Chabad’s Litchfield Plan Proceeds

LITCHFIELD, CT — There’s a long tradition in town of development plans being subjected to scrutiny from all sides and, in the process, engendering great debate. It happened when the first chain store, a Talbots, arrived on West Street, when it was time to renovate the Marcel Breuer-designed high school, when the town’s first car wash was proposed and in countless other instances.

But after an initial burst of remarks about Chabad Lubavitch of Litchfield County’s plans to renovate the old Wilderness Shop building on West Street (Route 202), a structure in the heart of the historic district, there has been more silence than commentary.

Historic District Commission chairman Wendy Kuhne, who had questioned some aspects of the plan, has reportedly recused herself from the proceedings. She couldn’t be reached for comment.

Torrington attorney Peter Herbst, who is representing Chabad Lubavitch, would only confirm that a hearing was held last week at the Litchfield Firehouse, but would not comment further on the application.

“I’m not going to make any comment on this application at this point,” he said. “What I can say is that there was a public hearing held last Thursday with the Litchfield Historic District Commission, and at that hearing they presented the architectural plans to the commission. The hearing was continued to December 6.” That meeting will begin at 6 p.m. and will be held at the Litchfield Firehouse.

Chabad Lubavitch now operates from a space on Village Green Drive just west of the green. Educational programs for children and adults, dinners and celebrations are all held there and will be held in the new facility once it is renovated and reopened.

During Passover and the high holidays the organization hosts events and invites members of the community-not just Chabad members-to participate, encouraging others to learn more about Jewish customs and culture. Chabad Lubavitch of Litchfield County was founded in 1996. The organization purchased the West Street property in 2006.

Rabbi Joseph Eisenbach, Chabad Lubavitch’s spiritual leader, is one of the few sources offering information, and he said Tuesday that he was pleased with the progress of the plans so far.

“We are pleased with the commission’s receptivity and useful inquiries, and we look forward to receiving a report from a historical architect hired by the commission,” he said. “We look forward to getting that and we expect, G-d willing, to result in receiving a certificate of appropriateness for this work from the commission. Then we’ll be able to go ahead with this project. As soon as we get the OK from them, the work will start.”

When asked when a groundbreaking would take place, or if the project has an established timeline for completion, the rabbi was hopeful only for “as soon as possible.”

“G-d only knows when we’ll break ground,” he said.

Meanwhile, the rabbi said, the Chabad community is being “tremendously supportive” of the new center. “Those who have attended [programs at the Village Green Drive facility] realize the need for a home of our own,” he said. “We need to have a new place at the earliest possible date.”

The renovated building will include a space for worship and a kosher kitchen on the main level, as well as administrative offices. Downstairs, which will include the expanded rear of the building, the organization wants to build a swimming pool, a ritual bath area and a recreation area for children’s programs. The plans call for a preschool facility and space for young adult and adult classes, which would be held once a week, the rabbi said. Other items featured in the design include a clock tower with a Star of David in front, stained glass windows and an elevator in the rear of the building.

The idea of having a functioning swimming pool in the building, the rabbi noted, has been embraced by residents outside of the Chabad community. Some years ago, a group of residents tried to get a project to build a community swimming pool approved by the town, but the plan failed. Litchfield’s swim team has used the pool at the Connecticut Junior Republic, a school for delinquent boys on the Litchfield-Goshen town line, for practice and meets, because Litchfield’s intermediate and high school buildings do not have one.

“We’ve been approached by members of the community who are extremely excited about this project,” the rabbi said. “So if we can help the greater Litchfield community in some way that will be great.”

Rabbi Eisenbach said the Village Green Drive space is “pretty cramped.”

“The blessing of this [new] place is more space,” he noted. “At our current location the synagogue and the offices and the kitchen are all in one space. So this will enable us to have more space and continue to flourish.”

The organization’s new home will become part of the Litchfield borough, which includes the town green and about a mile of properties in the center of town, including the many old houses on North and South Streets, where annual house tours are held to showcase Litchfield’s architectural history. Contrary to previous reports that stated the building was to be “converted into a synagogue,” the rabbi said, the building will be home to all activities held by Chabad members and supporters. “A chabad is a cultural center. It’s about community,” Rabbi Eisenbach said.

Past reports have indicated that some historic district commission members voiced concern about the exterior design of the building, including the Star of David. In considering this plan, the commission will be required to follow state and federal statutes governing freedom of religion, attorneys reportedly said. The law, legal authorizes say, prohibits a commission from taking how the building will be used into consideration, and that it must stay “neutral on religion,” according to a published report.

Rabbi Eisenbach is looking forward to working with the commission on his plans.

“The plan is to have our community center on the green; the whole operation will be here,” the rabbi said previously. “It’s not having just a synagogue there. That’s already one of our programs. All our programs will be held at the new location, except for the Jewish Fest, which will be held at White Memorial.”