Congregation Emanu-El's new reimagined home will advance the institution’s storied legacy of service to its community and greatly increase its programming capacity while respecting the building’s historic structure and exterior. The design will reinstate the building’s original entrance on Lake Street, which had long been closed off due to accessibility issues. The entry will restore the original entry procession, on axis with the temple’s iconic 150-foot dome and Main Sanctuary. A new entry lobby will lead into a reconstructed open-air courtyard, drawing visitors directly towards the building’s heart. 

While the historic exterior will look much the same, two stories of educational and community spaces, enveloped by a glass skin with bronze mullions to preserve the transparency of the original design, will be added around the reconstructed open-air courtyard. The children’s play area will be moved from ground level to a newly created roof deck with direct access to the preschool classrooms. The excavation of two levels below the courtyard increases the building’s capacity for offices and building services. Additionally, a new sidewalk “bulb-out” will be installed at the corner of Lake Street and Arguello Boulevard, providing a larger buffer for the main entrance, and further improving neighborhood safety by slowing traffic and creating a safe passage for pedestrians.