A controversial expansion proposal by Lubavitch of Cambridge has resurfaced this time, larger and bolder. Following a zoning change that effectively removed size limits in residential districts, the Orthodox Jewish group is now pushing for a five-story, 70-foot-high religious center in Riverside. The proposal comes amid ongoing legal battles and raises critical questions about zoning rights, neighborhood impact, and the city’s future oversight of religious institutions.
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Expansion Grows After Zoning Change
Lubavitch of Cambridge originally proposed a smaller expansion that would have nearly doubled its building space without increasing its height. That application failed to gain the necessary votes from the Board of Zoning Appeals. Now, capitalizing on recent zoning adjustments that eliminated lot size minimums for homes, the group has submitted a much larger plan, more than doubling the previous square footage to 40,164 square feet.
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Lawsuit and Ordinance Proposal Follow Rejection
After the initial denial, Lubavitch filed a federal lawsuit against the city. The group also submitted a proposed zoning ordinance that would exempt religious organizations from many existing land use restrictions. Both actions remain unresolved, but if either succeeds, they could independently allow the expansion to proceed.
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Five Stories on a Narrow Street
The new proposal would combine the properties at 38-40 and 48 Banks Street and demolish 54-56 Banks Street. The redesigned structure would significantly increase height and space on a narrow, residential street. The group does not plan to submit this updated design to the Historical Commission, stating that its approach to demolition and restoration remains unchanged from the earlier, approved version.
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Legal Basis Cited: Federal Law Protecting Religious Use
Central to Lubavitch’s latest argument is the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). This law prohibits zoning rules that place a substantial burden on religious exercise unless a compelling governmental interest is demonstrated. In its application, Lubavitch argues that the city has no legal ground to deny the project under this law.
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Neighborhood Group Warns of Overreach
Alan Joslin of the Kerry Corner Neighborhood Association, which opposed the initial proposal, said the group could have won local support by requesting a more modest variance. Instead, the current plan is more than twice the size of the first and has been submitted while court mediation is still in progress. Joslin stressed that the problem is not just the building’s size but also how its use may affect the area.
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Zoning Vote Fell Short Despite Support
Despite vocal support from many community members during the first proposal, some citing the center’s inclusive nature and personal significance, the zoning board voted 3-2 in favor, one vote short of the four required for approval. The current plan will go before the Board of Zoning Appeals on June 12.
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Zoning Shift Removed Key Restrictions
The city’s recent approval of a multifamily housing ordinance eliminated minimum lot size requirements in residential districts. That change had a domino effect: it invalidated Cambridge’s exemption from the Dover Amendment, a state law that protects religious and educational institutions from certain zoning restrictions. The result may reduce the city’s ability to regulate such developments in residential areas.
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