Congregation Beth Shalom closed the sale of its Wornall property to VanTrust Real Estate LLC on July 8. Congregation President Michael Abrams said the purchase price was more than $2.3 million.
Abrams said he doesn’t believe VanTrust has determined exactly what it will do with the property.
“We have been told the building will be torn down,” he said. “We understand they could use it for office space or some type of residential space.”
Abrams said considering today’s real estate market, the congregation is happy with the purchase price it received. The money from the sale will be used to pay down the congregation’s mortgage and line of credit on the building it currently occupies, located at 143rd and Lamar Avenue in Overland Park.
The sale, Abrams said, now gives the synagogue the opportunity to plan for its next phase of facilities.
“Our goal obviously is to have a sanctuary and there is a committee that is investigating what our next steps are,” Abrams explained.
Members of the Conservative congregation voted to shut down its Wornall facility in November 2010. The congregation had been operating two buildings since the school and offices moved to the new Lamar location in December 2005. The Wornall facility was used almost exclusively for worship until it closed permanently in July 2011.
Land for the Wornall building, which sits on approximately 45 acres at the corner of Wornall and Bannister roads, was purchased in 1955. The school opened in 1962 and the sanctuary wing, which included the chapel, social hall, administrative offices and library, was dedicated in 1971. Prior to that time the congregation was located at 34th and Paseo. The congregation’s history dates back to 1878.
