The Merrick Jewish Centre began in 1931 as a one-story house in Long Island’s Nassau County. Over the nine decades since, the facility has undergone four major additions, resulting in a mix of styles and varied structural systems. Today the Centre is in need of unifying elements and simplified circulation, along with renovations to update the finishes and address the changing programmatic needs of the congregation. Jonathan Schloss / Architect was hired to create a masterplan in which recommendations were made within nine different areas of the existing facility. A cost estimator was hired to help the congregation make decisions to prioritize the recommendations and phase the project.
The building committee chose to develop the main lobby and ballroom as Phase 1. This renovation focuses on replacing the storefront entry, updating finishes, re-configuring the restrooms to make room for a permanent security desk and a new unisex bathroom, adding a stage with ramp to the Ballroom, and creating a corridor by means of operable partitions to link the two lobbies in the building without disturbing the activities in the Ballroom or Sanctuary. Prior to construction, the congregation asked Jonathan Schloss / Architect document the facility with an existing conditions report. The existing walls, roofs, and entries were inspected, along with the structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems.
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