The Lower East Side’s Angel Orensanz Center was evacuated the night of Mon., March 31, after wooden columns supporting the 19th-century building’s second-floor balcony gave a loud crack, causing the balcony to sag.
The structural problems at the 172 Norfolk St. building — a former synagogue built in 1849 — became apparent during the annual spring gala of the Soho Repertory Theater, and around 500 people were evacuated, with no injuries, authorities said.
A Department of Buildings inspection later revealed that vertical cracks had developed in the building’s columns, and the property was slapped with both a violation and a full vacate order, according to city records.
The building was the first synagogue constructed on the Lower East Side, and served that purpose many years before being bought in 1986 by Spanish sculptor Angel Orensanz. His brother, Al Orensanz, now manages the building and is reportedly working to assess the situation and how it will affect the center’s future, and what needs to be done to repair the damage.
Jenny Dembrow, associate director of the Lower Eastside Girls Club, was at the shindig with her father, Jon Dembrow, the repertory company’s board chairperson and the evening’s honoree.
New York magazine’s Intelligencer reported that among the boldface names on hand were Richard Lewis, Bobby Cannavale, Steve Earle and presenters Gretchen Mol and Tim Blake Nelson. It was the theater company’s main fundraising event.
“I’m heartbroken,” Jon Dembrow was quoted saying. “This is very damaging to the organization.”
Added Jenny Dembrow, “People had flown in for the event. It’s a total fiasco.”
When L.E.S. documentarian Clayton Patterson heard what happened, he panicked. He said he’s known too many buildings on the Lower East Side where there was a rush to demolition after a fixable structural problem.
“That’s the Carnegie Hall of Downtown,” he said. “To lose it would be like a death in the neighborhood. I did the Acker Awards there last year, and it was extraordinary. The Lower Eastside Girls Club, HOWL!, who hasn’t used that space? Al’s very community oriented. He’s done lots of things at no charge.”
Patterson said it’s well maintained.
“They put in new floor beams just a few months ago,” he noted.
But before the Orensanzes took it over in 1986, he recalled, “It was a blight on the neighborhood. It was a big abandoned building, with people doing drugs in it.”
Patterson said after speaking to Al Orensanz and hearing the updates, however, he felt relieved.
“I think it’s under control,” he said.
— by Lincoln Anderson, Sam Spokony and Sarah Ferguson
