Central Synagogue Community House

 temple, judaism, community centre / hall

9-story modernist community center building completed in 1967. Designed by Kahn & Jacobs, it is officially known as the Phyllis and Lee Coffey Community House of Central Synagogue, and contains the Sahra and William Lese Religious School.

The facade is clad in grey granite. At the west end is a segment with no openings rising the full height of the building, and extending above the main roof line. To the right, a vertical band of bronze screening with geometric patterns separates the west section from the rest of the facade above the ground floor. The rest of the ground floor is bronze-colored metal and glass. There is a central main entrance with two sets of double-doors below a metal canopy, and another single-door to the left. The east end of the ground floor has a separate entrance to the school with larger glass double-doors.

Above the ground floor, each floor has nine narrow windows with beveled edges that angle in at either the top or bottom in alternating fashion, giving texture and depth to the facade. Above the main roof line is a metal framework structure with a peaked roof, enclosing a rooftop terrace. Topping the taller west section is a mechanical penthouse and water tower enclosure.

www.centralsynagogue.org/index.php/learning/religious_s...