A design by Charles Atwood
built in 1889-91, this Gothic Revival edifice was the first Unitarian
church north of 34th Street. By 1919, membership at Lenox Avenue Unitarian
Church had diminished substantially and the building was sold to Jewish
Orthodox immigrants. The congregation of Chebra Ukadisha B'nai Israel
Mikalwarie lived in nearby tenements and were mostly poor. By 1942,
dwindling attendance and a change in demographics prompted a return to
Christian worship. The current African-American congregation reflects this
shift, which remains constant today.