DELMAR — Laid vacant since December, the historic Adams House may soon be occupied.
Bethlehem Chabad, a Hasidic Jewish organization, has expressed interest in concerting the 7,320-square foot building into a house of worship. According to town documents, additional uses for the building include office space, holiday programming and adult education, as well as weddings and bar mitzvahs. The facility would be used seven days a week, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Bethlehem Chabad is currently located at 395 Delaware Ave.
For more than 30 years, the historic site had served as the operations center for NYSARC, after the non-profit organization purchased 393-394 Delaware Ave. from the town in 1983. Prior to that, Adams House was Bethlehem Town Hall for several years before the town moved to its present position in 1980.
The Greek revival house was built in 1838 by Nathaniel Adams, who had bought the lot to build a hotel off the then-Delaware Turnpike. In all, Adams had purchased more than 500 acres of land, including what is known today as the Four Corners and parts of Normansville. Prior to being named Delmar, the hamlet had been named Adamsville in his family’s honor. The Adams House ceased to be a hotel in 1920 when it was eventually sold to the Delmar Fire Company.
Adams Street, the side street that abuts the corner lot property, still carries the family name.
Bethlehem Chabad is scheduled to meet again with the town’s planning board next month to determine the proposals impact against New York state’s environmental impact assessment.
