317 East 8th Street | Block : 391 | Lot #51

Building Date : 1847-1848
Original Use : Residential

Original Owner : William Roberts
Original Architect : Unknown

Description & Building Alterations

This building’s current appearance likely dates from 1921 when an alteration application was filed to convert the residential building into a Synagogue. The building was originally built around 1847 and was a four-story residential building. At the time of the conversion, the building housed four families. As of 2000, the building was owned by the Orthodox Congregation of the Eighth Street Shul. In September of 2000 the Congregation evicted the Rabbi for the purpose of turning the building into housing, which appears to be the current function.

Block : 391 / Lot : 051 / Building Date : 1847-1848 / Original Owner : William Roberts / Original Use : Residential / Original Architect : Unknown

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What is the Building Blocks Project

What does a building mean to someone who lives there? A person who lives on the block? In the neighborhood? In the city? This site presents a wealth of historic information gained from GVSHP’s architectural research survey about the buildings located in the East Village.

The site explores the area generally considered today as the East Village: from a northern border of 14th Street to a southern border of Houston Street, Avenue D in the east to 4th Avenue/the Bowery to the west. You can explore the information about the blocks and buildings featured here in two ways.

Pick a block. Maybe it’s yours, or perhaps it is just your favorite place to shop, grab a bite, or just people watch. Then explore the buildings that make up that block. Or take one of the many guided tours on the site, curated by a collection of organizations and experts from the neighborhood. See how they experience the neighborhood. Then tell us what the neighborhood means to you. The site’s comments section allows you to open a dialogue with others who feel just as passionately as you do about the East Village.