Yeshiva Property Sold to Developer After ‘Deed Lift’

An exposé by the New York Post reveals that the de Blasio administration has lifted a deed restriction on an Eastern Parkway property belonging to Yeshivas Chanoch Lenaar, which will allow it to be redeveloped for housing, in exchange for $150,000.

The deed restriction has been in place since 1980, when the city sold the property to Yeshivas Chanoch Lenaar for a mere $21,000, with the stipulation that it be used only for “non-profit full-time educational and ancillary programs.”

The Post reports that the restriction was lifted in 2015 for a payment to the city of $150,000. Included in the deal was the dismissal of $2,855 in outstanding violations on the property.

The property was then sold by Chanoch Lenaar to 874 Eastern Parkway LLC, which is controlled by local Crown Heights developer Shimon Liani, for the sum of $1.5 million.

The Post reports that the deed lift was one of at least eight to take place on de Blasio’s watch, and that all eight properties wound up in the hands of developers.

A similar agreement to remove a nonprofit restriction on a Manhattan nursing home in exchange for the city getting $16 million has sparked outrage and four investigations, with some accusing the de Blasio administration of corruption in facilitating the deal.

26 Comments

  • Yossi A.

    B”H
    Atleast we will have Lubavitchers moving in & not a bunch of yuppies!!!!!

    • Ya think?

      Don’t be too sure – young families can’t afford these prices.

  • Resident

    Great, we lose mosdos for yuppie buildings. I hope these developers have aenough brains to care about us and our future instead of yuppies. IF YOU KNOW THEM PLEASE TELL THEM ,

  • Yitzchok

    It was sold by Chanoch Lenaar for $1.5M? Where did the money go? Chanoch Lenaar doesn’t exist anymore!

  • resident

    Umber one, don’t be so sure though I hope you are right. Except for dovid fisher and srizin other lubavitch ets let us dow. Including sperlin and others .please let’s get together and protest, how can u bring yuppies and pritzus instead of yeshiva

  • Anonymous

    Will this fellow sell apartments to Jews or to what has recently become a trend?
    DeBlasio is corrupt.

  • Cold winter

    He most likely will sell to whom ever has money and is willing to pay

  • Like everyone else

    He will do the same as all the other developers. Make kitchens with 2 sinks, demand extra high prices and then when the yidden can’t afford them he sells them to yuppies

  • Sick

    What a huge pity
    So many non profits in ch that could have used this space to further programs / assistance to this community and instead an ex-principal becomes a millionaire

  • I Wonder What The Rebbe

    would have said about Lubavitcher Real Estate Agents selling Condo’s in Crown Heights to Yuppies

    While Lubavitcher Families are struggling to find a place to live in the Rebbe’s Neighborhood in walking distance from 770

  • Money?

    Did the exposé shed light as to where this 1.5 million went to?

    For years, Chenoch Lenaar has collected money from this community. If an individual pocketed money from the sale of this building there will be hell to pay.

    • Money!

      According to the deed records the seller is listed as Yaakov Bryski – Authorized Signatory for Chanoch Lenaar, so it is safe to assume that him being the authorized signatory, he is the receiver of the money.

  • crown heights

    he will proberbly give it to the yuppies just like he did on lefferts and new york .

  • SICKENING

    to take a mosad and have 2 indivuduals rake in a private deal???????

  • learn from Williamsburg

    In Williamsburg this wouldn’t fly. There would be
    signs and protests and seruvim against anyone
    selling to Yuppies. Here its each man to himself.
    We know good and well what the Rebbe holds.
    In the 1960’s thee Rebbe was totally against selling
    to goyim. What is different now? The Rebbe would
    constantly ask to build affordable housing for large
    families. It isn’t happening. Young families are being forced to leave crown heights because it is unaffordable. How will these developers be able to
    face the Rebbe when Moshiach comes?

  • Picaboo Shimon

    Were all three buildings owned by chanoch lenar sold or just the corner building?

  • chaim

    The proceeds from the sale will go fix up the other 2 buildings, so that the Yeshiva can reopen. Only the corner building was sold.

  • Sir B

    Look
    It’s gone. Memories to be erased from some good people. Only wish the best to Y.C.L. alumni and teachers. Hret.years 85 to 90

  • SHLICHUS

    there are rabonim in the shchuna and they will
    deal with it
    I am sure there is a reason for selling

  • Cash under the table

    1.5 million plus how much under the table? Plenty of Mosdos wanted it for 1.5 million.

  • Disgusting on so many levels

    This is disgusting on so many levels

    This building does not “belong” to one individual. It belongs to the community! It was funded by the community! It was supported by the community! And the only reason it does not exist today is because of the ineptitude and corruption etc., of those who ran it.

    Why have we not heard from the Rabbonim on this?
    Why have we not heard from the CHJCC on this?
    Why have our community leaders and elected officials been silent on this?

    Why has this not been denounced as theft and embezzlement of communal Tzedaka funds?

    What a scam – start a “Mosad”, collect millions, make dinners, give plaques, have fundraisers and emergency appeals etc. etc. etc. – and then cash in and tell all the good faith donors – adios baby – while laughing to the bank.

    This is precisely why the respect for the Rabbis and leaders of this community has eroded so much.

  • chaim

    t0 # 22
    It is discusting only on one level, that you and other are accuseing someone of stealing a building from the community without knowing the facts, see # 19

  • Pedant

    There is a board. And a corporation with bylaws, and the board members made decisions as to what to do with asset.

    There is no reason at all to assume bad faith. And the Torah requires us to assume good faith (it’s pirkei avos time after all).

    If you do not know the facts on the ground and you’ve no very specific reason to suspect bad faith, you need to hold yourself back, baal teshaksu notwithstanding.

    There is nothing beEtzem wrong with selling an asset. It’s entirely dependent on facts on the ground and the relevant Halachos.

    We aren’t in any position to judge. It’s simply cause the issue touched all the hot points: moised|corruption|housing|buildings — that every needs to come out and bang on their favorite pot.

  • ignorance

    no need to jump to conclusions.. the Attorney general has to approve the sale of any non profit and make sure the money is being used correctly With that said Liani is on the board of a small meshichicst leaning yeshivah for boys who currently rent the building from Chanoch lenar. I am assuming he plans on using it for the school..

    haters be hating.