Chabad, village await decision from judge

The future of two vacant properties in Atlantic Beach remains uncertain as the legal wrangling over 2025 Park Street and 2035 Park Street continues between the village and the Long Beach-based Chabad of the Beaches. 

Atlantic Beach moved one step closer to acquiring 2035 Park Street through eminent domain as village officials approved a bond of $1 million on Nov. 14 to purchase the parcel from M. A. Salazar Inc., a real estate company.

Richard Libbey, whose family owns the lot, said he believes the land is worth more than the estimated cost. “There’s another piece of property down the block that sold for $1.9 million,” he said. 

After a preliminary injunction was issued in September to halt Atlantic Beach’s eminent domain claim on 2025 Park Street, Jeremy Dys, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute that is representing the Chabad of the Beaches, said no other legal actions have been brought. The Chabad bought the property, the former home to a Chase Bank,  in November 2021 for $950,000.

Rabbi Eli Goodman, who leads the Chabad, said the land was purchased to build a community center. After that was made public, the village began the process to take both properties through eminent domain, which is the legal right of a government to buy private land within its borders and to compensate the owner of the land. Atlantic Beach also announced its plans to build a community center and add to the existing tennis center. Libbey said the village previously approached him to create a park on 2035 Park Street. 

Earlier this year and even now, Dys said his client senses antisemitism is behind Atlantic Beach’s actions. “It seems to be pretty clear that as soon as the property was purchased by Rabbi Goodman and his synagogue, it was only then that the village became interested in that property,” Dys said, noting that the 2025 Park Street parcel was vacant for nearly three years before the Chabad bought the land.

Within two weeks, Dys said the village announced that they were going through eminent domain to take the property only after Goodman disclosed his intentions. He believes the village has no comprehensive plans.

Dys deepened his belief that antisemitism is in play as a Atlantic Beach-based Facebook group based in Atlantic Beach posted antisemtic remarks and statements attacking Goodman.

“You combine that (no planning) with a Facebook page of the village, moderated by one of two of the village members with all kinds of antisemitism,” Dys said. Moderators in a Facebook group are responsible for accepting or denying a post from members. 

Using the anti-Semitism and the village has no plan arguments, Dys said he wrote a brief seeking a motion to dismiss. “All of those motions have been fully brief now and just sitting in front of the court to make that decision,” he said. 

As of press time, Atlantic Beach mayor, George Pappas, did not return calls seeking comment. Village officials previously noted that the Facebook posts were distasteful.