The Jewish Museum of Maryland purchased the warehouse directly north of the Lloyd Street Synagogue at an auction in late February.
The 4,800-square foot warehouse, located at 5 Lloyd Street, will allow handicap access to the Lloyd Street Synagogue, said Marvin Pinkert, the museum’s executive director. The purchase price at the Feb. 27 auction was $315,000.
“We have been talking about the question of the surrounding area to the museum for some time,” said Pinkert. “The building has been mentioned a number of times because, realistically, it’s the only space that would permit … ADA access to the historic synagogue so you wouldn’t have to invade the historic space.”
The new acquisition will allow the museum to install an elevator that would bring handicapped visitors into the synagogue. Pinkert expects the Lloyd Street Synagogue, which was built in 1845, to remain the cornerstone of the museum into the future.
Two of the four buildings owned by the museum — the main museum building and Lenny’s Deli on Lombard Street — are ADA accessible, but the Lloyd Street Synagogue and B’nai Israel Congregation, a modern Orthodox synagogue, are not.
Pinkert said the museum, which is enjoying a 32 percent increase in visitors since last year, is working with The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore on a plan for the building. Possibilities include using it for storage or knocking it down and building a new structure, he said.
