Midcentury Synagogue Renewed for Arts, Education & Worship

The 35,670 square foot worship and assembly space will be operated by Park Arts, a nonprofit affiliate of the sponsor, as performance, event, and community venues. This includes the historic sanctuary, ballroom, Miller Chapel, library, and select classroom and performance areas. Park Arts will manage cultural programming, public events, and lifecycle celebrations, ensuring the building continues to function as a gathering place. This use preserves the building’s most architecturally significant interiors while expanding public access to arts and cultural experiences.

The 23,697 square foot former school wing will support a satellite campus for Oberlin College’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program. The space will house studios, classrooms, and faculty areas for the final year of Oberlin’s BA/BFA double degree program. Students will complete an intensive year of study on site, working alongside faculty, artists, and community partners. This use continues the building’s historic educational function while extending Oberlin’s academic mission beyond its main campus.

The 1,957 square foot classroom and studio space will be occupied by Colorful Minds Studio, which provides arts programming for adults with developmental disabilities. Modeled after a successful Ohio based program, the studio supports creative expression, inclusion, and community connection through structured artmaking. This use adds a social service component to the project while aligning with the broader arts and education focus of the campus.

Completed in 1953, Park Synagogue was designed by world-renowned architect Eric Mendelsohn and is considered one of the most important examples of modern religious architecture in the United States. The building’s copper clad dome, sculptural concrete forms, and integration with the surrounding landscape reflect Mendelsohn’s Neoexpressionist design philosophy. The property is individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is nationally significant for its architectural design and cultural legacy.

The project is led by Sustainable Community Associates, a development firm with nearly 20 years of experience transforming historic and underutilized buildings into sustainable mixed-use communities. The development team met as undergraduates at Oberlin College and founded the firm shortly after graduation. SCA’s work focuses on community development and environmental responsibility, including the revitalization of complex brownfield sites such as former gas stations, dry cleaners, and chrome plating facilities. This background informed the vision for Park Synagogue, combining historic preservation, sustainable design, and long-term community benefit.

The rehabilitation enhances both the building and its surrounding 28-acre campus, improving public access and long-term environmental performance. Site improvements include new walking trails throughout the property and a footbridge across the ravine, expanding public access to the landscape surrounding the synagogue. The project also incorporates a geothermal heating and cooling system designed to reduce the building’s carbon footprint and support economically and environmentally sustainable operations. In addition, critical investments in the building’s thermal envelope will significantly improve energy performance while supporting the long-term preservation of this nationally significant historic structure.