NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - A synagogue built in the city nearly a century ago and damaged in a fire three years ago would be converted into apartments while preserving the facade under building plans filed with the city.

The Poile Zedek Synagogue at 147 Neilsen St., would house 12 apartments, including six loft or studio units and six two-bedroom units, in a four-story building, according to the proposal for the project that would be called Neilson Crossing.

Developers Micky Goldfin and David Adams submitted the plans to the city in April, and the application is now scheduled to be on the zoning board agenda next month.

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The developers are seeking a variance from the requirement to provide 23 parking spaces because the lot, which is less than two-tenths of an acre in area, could not accommodate any spaces. A traffic report with the application states that parking would be available in the Lower Church Street parking deck.

Also the builders are seeking several other variances for lot width, depth and building coverage area, all of which, they say are pre-existing conditions of the original building.

The synagogue was built in 1923. In 1995 it was placed on the national and state registers of historic places.

In October 2015, fire destroyed the interior of the building, with the roof caving-in. The exterior remained largely intact.

The developers propose to restore the exterior and facade and architectural details, including the platform staircase, arched windows, Star of David and other roof-top ornamentation would be preserved, according to the application.





For the interior, there would be three two-bedroom units on the first- and second-floors. There would be three units that would each have two levels on the third- and fourth-floors. Builders propose adding the fourth-floor to the existing structure.