770 Expansion May Open This Shabbos, Days Ahead of Schedule

The new expansion of the Beis Medrash behind 770 has progressed at an extraordinary pace over the past week and may reportedly be fully ready and open for use as soon as this coming Shabbos, several days ahead of the already overly ambitious original deadline of the Kinus Hashluchim.

This Shabbos marks 35 years since the Rebbe published the unique kuntres Beis Rabeinu Sheb’Bavel, which describes at length the significance of 770 and the importance of creating additional space to accommodate the large influx of people coming to learn and daven.

The original plan was to have the expansion ready for the Kinus Hashluchim, providing shluchim with a dedicated place to learn during their stay. However, the extraordinary pace of construction over the past several days has raised the possibility that the space could be ready even sooner.

“This is a project that would ordinarily take months, or even years,” a source involved in the project told Anash.org. “The speed we’re seeing is nothing short of extraordinary and shows what can get done when everyone is on the same page.”

Crews have been working around the clock, with work continuing until the final minutes before Shabbos and resuming immediately afterward, continuing through the night.

Last Thursday night, intensive work began in the middle of the night to lower the ground level and bring it into alignment with the floor of the main zal, marking a major milestone in the effort to expand 770. Within just a few hours, the work was complete.

Since then, the pace has only accelerated. Over the past several days, flooring has been completed, walls and windows installed, and lighting, heating, air conditioning, plumbing, roofing and ceiling work brought close to completion.

With major construction work having progressed well ahead of expectations, the expanded space is now nearing completion, with preparations underway for the final stages of the project.

While it remains to be seen whether the expanded Beis Medrash will be ready for use this Shabbos, the extraordinary progress of the past week has brought that possibility into view.

“This is a major step toward the Rebbe’s vision of expanding 770,” a source told Anash.org. “Today, we are working toward that vision together with all the relevant mosdos, which have been intimately involved in every step of the process.”

The structure is being built on the site of the historic Kollel building, near the corner of Union Street and Kingston Avenue. The Kollel was established by the Rebbe in 5722 (1962) under the aegis of Machne Israel and the Rebbe’s Mazkirus. It operated from 1451 and 1453 Union Street until 5760 (2000), when it moved to its present location on Kingston Avenue, with the intention that the Union Street building would be renovated.

The climate-controlled beis medrash will remain open year-round, with seating for more than 300 bochurim and yungeleit.

The project has been made possible through the tireless efforts and generous support of a group of dedicated individuals, working together with the three mosdos of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, Machne Israel, and Agudas Chassidei Chabad. Their joint efforts have helped bring this long-awaited development closer to completion.

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