Metro

Hundreds flee historic synagogue after column cracks

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Angel Orensanz Center
Firefighters outside Soho Rep's 2014 Spring Fete at the Angel Orensanz Center. Over 300 were evacuated from the center after several columns were discovered to have cracks. Luckily, no injuries were reported and the benefit continued outdoors. FilmMagic
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Gretchen Mol of "Boardwalk Empire" outside the Angel Orensanz Center. FilmMagic
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Bobby Cannavale of “Boardwalk Empire,” and “Blue Jasmine” was among Monday night’s evacuees. FilmMagic
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Singer Steve Earle performs on Norfolk Street following the evacuation of Soho Rep's 2014 Spring Fete. Getty Images
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Amber Gray performs in a schoolyard playground. FilmMagic
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Firefighters survey the structural issues inside the Angel Orensanz Center.
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Guests dancing through Norfolk after the center's evacuation. FilmMagic
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Scheduled musicians perform for guests.Getty Images
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Guests dancing through Norfolk after the center's evacuation. WireImage
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Gretchen MolFilmMagic
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Cracks in several columns at a historic Lower East Side synagogue forced 500 people — including “Boardwalk Empire’’ star Gretchen Mol — to scramble for safety during a fund-raiser for a local theater company Monday night.

The Angel Orensanz Center on Norfolk Street — which was built in 1849 and has been turned into an art gallery and performance space — was evacuated at around 7:30 p.m. after the columns cracked, causing the floor on the mezzanine level to tremble, fire officials said.

Party patrons, including “Third Watch’s” Bobby Cannavale, moved the soirée outside, where singer Steve Earle played his acoustic guitar for them.

No one was hurt.

“It seemed like the balcony above us was unstable and, if it fell, it could have seriously hurt a lot of people,” said Cynthia Flowers, executive director of the Soho Rep theatrical company.

“We are all really lucky that the Fire Department got us out of there.”

The synagogue was built in the Gothic Revival style in the tradition of the German Reform Movement of the mid 19th century, according to its Web site.