Posted to Communal Matters, Crown Heights News on

Jewish Children’s Museum Faces Foreclosure

After borrowers defaulted on a $9,400,000 mortgage, a U.S. bank has been seeking offers for the ‘note’ on 792 Eastern Parkway, the building which houses the Jewish Children’s Museum.

Brokers with Cushman Wakefield and Massey Knakal have been soliciting offers on behalf of Capital One Bank, which holds $9.4 Million in mortgages – stemming from the construction of the Jewish Children’s Museum – that are currently being described as “non-performing”.

The building is being described by the solicitors as 38,355 gross square feet plus a 10,500 square foot lower level, which contains a 77-seat theater, various other visitor activity spaces and boasts being close to the 3 and 4 trains.

Taxes on the property for this year would have been $1,402,326, however, due to the Museum and Tzivos Hashem non-profits occupying the building it is currently exempt from those taxes.

The museum, the first of its kind, has seen hundreds of thousands of children and adults from all walks of life come through its doors since its opening. It aims to dispel ignorance and anti-Semitism through education.

The JCM declined CrownHeights.info’s request for comment.

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44 Comments

  • Headline incorrect

    Foreclosure is when a Court has already determined the building be sold not when a note is being sold by investors.

    I do hope the community can come together and buy the note so it doesnt get to that point

  • The End of the Museum is not the End of Tzivos Hashem

    The Craft Workshops that were started and managed by Michoel Albukerk still take the message of Tzivos Hashem to dozens of schools in NY and neighboring states – and they supply Shluchim with what they need to do the workshops.

    Michoel also has plans to do more Tzivos Hashem activities – but he needs support.

  • yanki

    Maybe the JCM can take a hachlata to act as a CHASSIDISHE, LUBAVITCHER mosad. Vedal. Nuff said. Every positive effort will surely help them and the boss will surely have nachas. The brochos will shower upon them.

    • Chosid

      I agree. Too much mixed activities there. They should be more like what the Rebbe would have wanted.
      Something has too be done, because we don’t want to imagine who or what would take over.

  • kudos

    The top level people. including those put in positions due to nepotism, have no real business experience or education for a project of such magnitude. Someone financially rescuing it would be great, but professionals must be put in place to make it viable. It’s one of the best things going in CH community, for good PR and outreach. A strong financial manager would make all the difference, plus there are other codes, etc. that were neglected or just not known how to deal with. Hope it can be saved because it’s a great tourist attraction across from 770. Long live the memory of Ari Halberstam, and kudos to Devorie!

  • Resident

    WE MUST TAKE ACTION!!! This is a place that many parents use as an outlet for their kids. OUR OWN CHILDREN benefit from here on many chol hamoed days. INVESTORS WILL TURN THIS INTO CONDOS FOR YUPPIES AND OTHER OUTSIDE PEOPLE. MY FRIENDS, WAKE UP. THIS IS FOR OUR CHILDREN AND PARENTS TO ENJOY. DONT LET THIS FALL INTO THE HAND OF OTHERS. OUR COMMUNITY COUNCIL WILL NOT HELP. ITS UP TO WE, THE PEOPLE TO SAVE THIS GREAT PLACE.

  • There is a boss

    Not likely they will find a buyer it’s legaly bound to be a museum

  • insider

    #5 kudos hit the nail on the head it’s exactly as he says it no more and no less!

  • Anash givirim

    Where are the business people of ch ?? How can they let this slip away there. There has to be an emergency meeting to stop the sale

  • sad

    I live in CH all my life and I still don’t know what goes on there…

    All I know is that its called a museum and sometimes there is a party there… And good coffee and food.

  • anash ?

    why is this a anash of CH problem ?

    maybe some shluchim with wealthy BB, or some that are themselves wealthy bring in some money ??

  • this place was never good

    Unfortunately the museum has always been very over-hyped. Yes, it was nice to have in crown heights, but it wasn’t particularly good. Despite all the claims of a “hands on” experience, there wasn’t much for kids to actually do.

  • To number #5

    Your absolutely right and the people in the community with the means to save the place will either do so with a changing of the guards or let it sink… Its all up to them… its their money!

    FYI

    The note is worth 25 cents on the dollar. Current management could be doing this as an inside job….

  • Eli Lipskier

    Ever Since they removed the Rebbe’s Tivios Hashem emblem it’s been downhill from there…..

  • I live in ch

    There are two issues at hand: the mis-management of the finances and how to save the museum. Who runs the board, and why on earth did they allow it to happen.

  • Public money

    Public money where did $9 million go they get very big rent for the coffee shop very big rent for mendys they get very big rent for the shool downstairs very big rent for the shull upstairs they get engagement parties there all the time they probably take in at least $50,000 a month it should cover all expenses this is highway robbery this is criminal

    • to 22 get your facts straight

      ou really seam to have no idea how much it coust to upkeep the jcm……electricity……ac and and heating…….salaries…… and before you decide how much money people pay rent maybe you should learn your facts…

    • Reply to get your facts straight

      If the JCM wants us to give them $$ to cover their debt they should give us an itemized list of how they spend $9 Million

  • 70s and 80s

    Bring back Aufrichtig’s and Ess & Bentch. I’ve never had better coffee anyplace in the world. Small coffee with cream and sugar in a paper cup from Ess & Bentch.

  • City prices in Brooklyn

    I guess it is not enough to have the city’s rich to come here into crown heights and buying jewish homes, or the yuppies taking up the best apartments. I guess it going to take losing our community bit by bit by losing major institutions, untill to the point nothing is left. We should have silenced to the Rebbe when he encouraged jews to buy homes when they were cheap. Now crown heights young families are paying the price. Moshiach show come now before the community falls apart.

  • cholentmitkugel

    YES!! Ess and bentch was a wonderful hole in the wall joint. Remember tuna salad on mezonos? Too small for women to enter. …And the whitefish and shmaltz herring next door. Aaah those were the days

    • Sora Bluma

      Just what is needed and just what is right- another establishment that women can’t enter, GROW UP PEOPLE!!!

  • Hmmm

    Its a real shame,
    I would take my kids there but its so expensive. I go often to the brooklyn childrens museum with my cool pass

    • Expensive?

      its about the price of a sandwich and u enjoy it a lot longer than a sandwich and anyway what normal place can u go to for less than that besides for places that accept cool culture passes which R usually boring places

  • EDB

    First thing to lose is the word “museum.” Museums are for dinosaurs and dead artists. Next return the Tzivos Hashem logo and all that it stands for. This is living center for kids. Manage and operate in a manner that is true to the Rebbe’s principles and guidance and HKB”H will look after the rest!

  • Please

    First thing to lose, is the clueless management that brought them to this place in time. They had no clue as to what operating a museum really entailed, at least when I was there many years ago. It was awful, as there was almost nothing there/to do, and half the stuff was already broken. It became, a low-budget party hall/other space rental, and an employment agency; neither of which can sustain a building of that stature.

  • Go tzivois Hashem

    Not to worry I heard there’s already a plan in place with people stepping up to save the day ,we will never loose this building

  • Where did this $9 Million debt

    come from.

    Why did they wait till their debt reached $9 Million before they asked for $$ help

  • levi

    Maybe they will get the message finaly not to be embarrasembarrassed that they are lubavitchers and will stand up and proclaim that they are tzivoshashem with we want moshiach now!

  • LIRAN

    FIRST PROBLEM IS THAT YOU GUYS REPLYING WITHOUT KNOWING THE FACTS. DVORY WILL TAKE OF IT. THER MUST BE A WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM MAY BE TO HOUSE A GIRL MOSAD THER OR A YESHIVA THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER OPTION TO SELL IT TO THE POBLIC FOR AN OPTION TO HAVE YOUR SIMCHA THER FOR FREE OR LOWER PRICE. EVRY FAMILY HAVE SIMCHAS BOROCH HASHEM.

  • Your gentile neighbor

    This place always screamed KICK-BACK. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is up the road – take your kids there. Yeshiva + Temple + family structures is enough Jewish Children Museum for the neighborhood. I can’t believe this property has been alienated for so long. Wake up folks.