Hillel's Modern Addition Demolished by Forsyth School

 
Last year Hillel at Washington University sold its modern multi-purpose center, the Alvin & Jeanette Goldfarb Building, to neighboring Forsyth School to the east. The structure, a circa 1966 addition to a 1920's mansion on Forsyth Boulevard was demolished in January of this year. I was unable to find information about the buildings architect, so if anyone happens to know, please share. The building was not a masterpiece, but I always thought the clerestory structure over the auditorium/dining hall space was interesting. The view of the clerestory from Forsyth had unfortunately been compromised by the addition of mechanical equipment and a screening structure on the roof of the front portion of the building.


Forsyth School has expanded several times in the last decade and according to an article in the Business Journal, had apparently attempted to purchase a home at 6214 Forsyth from Unity Christ Church, but lost out to a competing bid from Washington University. 


The now vacant site, which straddles the St. Louis-Clayton border across from Wash U's Givens Hall, will likely not stay vacant too long as Forsyth School has hired an architect to look at the scope of a new addition, and the school is embarking on a $7 million capitol campaign. Hillel is apparently considering an addition to its remaining property at 6300 Forsyth. 


The now demolished modern structure was located in the Wydown/Forsyth National Register Historic District, but was a non-contributing building. The official map of the historic district in fact lists buildings in the district constructed after 1939 as "intrusions".