Historic Lower East Side Synagogue, Once an Artist Haven, Lists for $11M
The nearly 7,000-square-foot building, with a past as a place of worship and a studio for notable artists, offers potential for redevelopment.
A former synagogue on Manhattan's Lower East Side, which later served as a creative hub for generations of artists, has been put on the market for $10.95 million. The approximately 6,800-square-foot building at 80 Forsyth Street has been the studio of fiber artist Dana Barnes since 2013, but its history extends back to the 19th century when it was originally built for an Eastern European Jewish congregation.
The building retains elements from its past, including remnants of a former mikvah, or ritual bath, and pointed arch window frames from its time as a synagogue. Its transformation into an artistic space began in the 1960s when Abstract Expressionist painters Milton Resnick and Pat Passlof took over the building, using it as their home and studio.
Resnick and Passlof modified portions of the structure to accommodate their work while preserving much of the original architecture. Features from their era that remain include hand-built pine walls, an upper gallery mezzanine, original casement windows, cast-iron columns, skylights, and wood and concrete floors, some of which still bear paint splatters from their time.
Barnes and her husband, investor Dale Westhoff, purchased the property for $6.4 million in 2013. They continued the tradition of using the space as a studio, filling its expansive rooms with Barnes's large-scale fiber sculptures and textile works. The building offers high ceilings, some exceeding 18 feet, along with ample natural light from large windows and skylights.
The property also includes two vintage kitchens, 2.5 bathrooms, laundry and storage areas, and two wood-burning fireplaces. A bedroom-office space is located on the top floor, and upper levels offer views overlooking Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Approximately 225 square feet of outdoor space is also included.
Adding to its potential, the sale includes about 10,000 square feet of additional air rights, which could allow for significant expansion. The building and its block are not landmarked, presenting opportunities for alteration or new development, subject to city approvals and zoning regulations. The listing agents are Jonathan Hettinger, Mark Amadei, and Megan Hait of Sotheby's International Realty.