By Ryan Mulligan – Reporter, Philadelphia Business Journal
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is acquiring the Gratz College building on its Melrose Park campus as the institution relocates to a new location on the Main Line.
In the deal for the 60,000-square-foot Ann Newman building, the Jewish Federation is taking Gratz College's equity stake in its Mandell Campus, making it the property's sole owner. Both sides declined to disclose the size of Gratz College's equity stake.
It's part of a strategic plan by the Jewish Federation to "explore all options for maximizing" on the 28-acre plot of land off Old York Road in Montgomery County just outside of Philadelphia city limits. For Gratz College, it's downsizing in a way that it can be more than just an educational space, but a Jewish community hub with the Main Line campus. Gratz has already started the move and the Jewish Federation will assume ownership of the Melrose Park building in July 2025.
Gratz College purchased the Levering Mill Tribute House in Bala Cynwyd for $1.8 million in July, Montgomery County Property records show. The building at 382 Bala Ave. won't be a traditional educational space, the way the Ann Newman property was with some 30 classrooms.
With Gratz College education largely taking place online, President Zev Eleff said that "having such a robust footprint in online graduate level programming avails us of the opportunity to think deeply about physical space." The school has around 500 students, offering graduate, certificate and continuing education for professionals.
Gratz College was an original tenant on the Mandell Campus, investing $3 million to build out the Ann Newman building. Its new home at the Levering Mill Tribute House spans about 10,500 square feet, records show.
"We're taking a really big bet, a big swing, and we want to hit a home run," Eleff said.
The new building includes an event space that could host weddings or B'nai Mitzvahs and the college is working on a conceptual design that it hopes will make it a "central gathering" space, rather than a building filled with classrooms, Eleff said.
"We're calling it a gathering space, or a third space, and that's really exciting," Eleff said. "Gratz ought to be that place. We ought to be a convener agency for the for the broader community."
Full story: https://tinyurl.com/58hdfr3c
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