Zalman Kaplan, Chabad Info
For many decades, Lubavitcher tried to lay its hand on building 755. Its strategic location opposite Beit Moshiach and in close proximity to the inner building 749, its internal structure and its high-quality and strong infrastructure, and not least – its breadth of hands, were a good reason for many institutions and businessmen in the Anesh to devote a lot of effort And precious time to get the building. Even the Rebbe King Mashiach himself encouraged, pushed and demanded several times to carry out the move.
But only a year ago, at the end of the month of Tevat 2015, he succeeded for the first time The group’s student union To lay his hands on a one-time transaction for the purchase of the desired building, just before it almost passed into other non-Jewish hands. Despite the great difficulty in obtaining financing for the purchase, the group’s student union worked hard to obtain the money. And so, with huge loans from the bank and generous hearts from the residents of the neighborhood, by the grace of heaven and the blessing of the Rebbe King of the Messiah of Israel – the building was purchased.
Now, after the building has passed into Chabad hands, the journey has begun to prepare the building for the housing of the innocent in it. Anyone who knows a little about the tenant protection law in New York City, knows that it is not an easy road to evict the tenants from the building, even when the legal owner of the building wants it. In the initial phase after the purchase of the building, two tenants left and their apartments became vacant for the students of the innocent.
In preparation for Passover last year, the entire first floor of the building was prepared, and two additional apartments on the upper floors. These parts of the building underwent a general renovation and technical training for the student population, and were opened for the innocent in preparation for Passover. Imagine the freedom that an innocent person feels, when at the end of the Seder night he crosses Eastern Parkway, and approaches to draw strength for the Hassidic Seder the next morning…
This move was actually the first stage in the building’s occupancy, and as a result of it, the maintenance of two apartments that were located more than 770 years away was saved. The dozens of young men who lived in them have now moved to a new and renovated building, opposite Beit Rabino in Babylon.
During the summer months, two more tenants left the building, thereby freeing up additional apartments for the innocent students. In the month of Av, due to a fire that broke out in the building, the building was evacuated. This period of time was used by the ‘union’ for thorough and comprehensive renovations in the entire building.
During the comprehensive renovation, it became clear to the management of the union that these are particularly expensive works, and the cost of the renovation amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars… but as always, in the manner of “at first, first” and with the blessing of the Rebbe King Moshiach Shalita, the union decided to make the expensive move and invest everything required for the students The innocents – and the Rebbe’s phrase, “Dem Rabin’s Kinder” – are the Rebbe’s sons.
No steps were spared in these renovation works, and the works were carried out at the highest professional level, in order to improve the living conditions in the building. The piping was replaced with a new one, and other similar steps were carried out, in decisions made during the work according to the needs that were discovered during it.
The entire building was redesigned and adapted to the needs of the innocent as much as possible. And no less importantly, the management of the union took care of legal standards that would approve the entire new internal structure of the building, thereby anchoring the building in American law, which would facilitate the management of the building and save many complications, as happened for many years in the neighboring building…
A few days ago, the last repairs were completed in about half of the building. That’s it, the time has come for the innocent to enter a new era – to live in a new and renovated boarding school, in front of 770, when one road cuts between the building and Beit Mashiach. These days, the Innocents are already entering the renovated building, and are moving from the ‘Eigod’ apartments, which are comparatively further away, to Building 755. This move will allow the closing of two more apartments, and the cost of their maintenance can be used for the benefit of the Innocents and the new, high-quality sleeping place.
In the next step, there are still two tenants left in the building. The legal move to vacate the place for the innocents requires complex and delicate negotiations with the tenants, as well as the payment of tens of thousands of dollars in compensation – so that they move to another apartment and vacate the building for the innocent students. The management of the union is working on the move and expresses hope that in the near future it will come to an end and be successful.
At the stage when the entire building will be fully occupied, there will be almost no need to maintain other apartments. This is a dramatic change in the quality of life of the innocent, when one should not assume the distance in value between a rented apartment at a medium level, located a few blocks away from 770, and a spacious building that has been completely renovated, specially adapted to the needs of the boarding school, and is located in front of the home of the Rebbe King Moshiach Shalit “A – 770, across the road.
Photo: Abraham Eisenstein, Chabad Info.
