The Watchtower: a top landowner in Brooklyn, N.Y.
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Author: Moxie
Tags: jehovah's witnesses brooklyn, watchtower brooklyn heights., Watchtower real estate
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According to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses) could quite possibly the largest single landowner in Brooklyn, N.Y. except that is for the government.
The Watchtower’s huge real estate portfolio in Brooklyn consists of a huge chunk of DUMBO, the old Bossert Hotel on Montague Street, as well as waterfront property facing Pier 1 below the (Brooklyn) Heights. They also own buildings at Bridge Plaza.
The Watchtower Society, owns a staggering amount of Brooklyn real estate, and is certainly the largest single property owner in the Brooklyn Heights area.
But will the Watchtower remain in Brooklyn? With the economic downturn it seems that for the moment the Watchtower is staying put. But they are not expected to remain for long. Quite recently the organization has acquired 248 acres in Ramapo, N.Y., about 45 miles north of New York City. The $11.5 million site will reportedly someday house more than half of the organizations 1,500-person administrative staff. Additionally the Watchtower is in the process of buying another 253 acres near their Wallkill printing plant (a little over 40 miles north west of NYC). This will be the 4th major land acquisition in as many years.
The organization currently has eight other buildings (located in the Brooklyn Heights) on the market, including the Bossert. But according to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle it is very likely that when the economy and real estate market improves, the Witnesses will sell their DUMBO locations, as well as their buildings on Sands Street.
Another jewel in their real estate portfolio is their waterfront building near Old Fulton, which has been long coveted by residential developers. Area developers look to it as a future source of operating revenue for the community, perhaps as a conference center or hotel.
What is clear is that despite the massive property holdings in Brooklyn, they are nothing compared to the hundreds and hundreds of acres owned in more rural areas of NY and NJ.
According to an article in The Brooklyn Paper back in April of 2009, Richard Devine, a Watchtower spokesperson said regarding the Ramapo acreage, “We would like to build a live-work complex”.
Until now, the Watchtower’s residential and publishing facilities in Brooklyn have remained separate. Combining both facilities at one remote upstate site would create a huge, centralized religious compound.
It seems highly likely that the Watchtower Society will continue the trend of selling off its highly valuable Brooklyn real estate as the market improves, predictably moving their operations and residences to the more cost efficient properties upstate.
One can only imagine the equity the organization has built in those NY properties over the years, it seems the time has come to cash-in.
Photos of some Watchtower property in Brooklyn, N.Y.
DUMBO
Watchtower Tennis Courts at DUMBO
Watchtower owned, Bossert Hotel
Lobby inside the Bossert Hotel, owned by the Watchtower
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[...] Will Watchtower Society Sell Brooklyn?, 28Oct09, exjehovahswitness [...]
thank you for the nice information to the growth of the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses.Truly, Jehovah speeds up the work of preaching to the most distant part of the earth with the use of that facilities.The organization plays a vital rule in educating the public with use of watchtower and awake,a magazines most widely circulated in the history.I know from the heart that these facilities are used to vindicate Jehovah in teaching people the kingdom good news that this earth will be transformed into a paradise condition…I’ll be waiting other articles from yours.Thanks a lot..Jehovah bless you
They keep their followers poor and their leaders rich.
I imagine so. Somebody is “chillin”!! ha ha. Oh boy.
What Watchtower Society detractors fail to mention is the fact that these Brooklyn buildings were in a run-down condition when the Society bought them years ago. Through much volunteer labor (for the most part) and donations (from Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves - not from the general public) these properties are now considered prime real estate showpieces. The buildings Jehovah’s Witnesses use throughout the world are treated in a similar way, whether they are newly built, or are restorations such as the Stanley Theater in New Jersey. Venues that are periodically rented such as large arenas and stadiums for large assemblies are totally cleaned and sometimes even painted, free of charge. Jehovah’s Witnesses represent a God who is clean and holy and it is only proper that those who worship Him, and the buildings they use, reflect that. Another overlooked fact are the large number of visitors to Brooklyn from around the world, and also large numbers of attendees to the hundreds of assemblies throughout the country and the world, all contributing to the business economy. Last year many city officials publicly expressed their gratitude for the millions in revenue this brought to their cities.
Also, unlike other religions that pay salary and benefits, no one at the Society benefits materially aside from room and board and a very small stipend for personal necessities. There is no such “they” who supposedly are getting very “rich”. All monies go to furthering the world-wide work which consists of providing the means to carry out Jesus’ command to “Preach the good news of the Kingdom” to all the nations.
As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses I am very thankful that the Organization has provided all the proper spiritual food at the righ time. This is all possible all due to the Loving arrangement and provision from Jehovah God. Truly the spiritual food is Life saving information. Thank You to Jehovah God and to the society of everyone involved in making Jehovahs Word known through out the World. As Revelations 21:3,4 is very fitting because I look forward to the day that I will be united with all of my Brothers and Sister in the Organization when we can smile and be in Peace and know that truly the former things of this World have passed away.I also want to tell all my spiritual family World wide you are all in my prayers each day.I Love You with all my Heart!!!
According to the Bible teachings we are in the Last Days of this system of things. Soon we will be in Paradise. These beautiful buildings have provided timely information for us to find the truth and bring us to the light. The Governing Body has served us well here. We appreciate all the publications brought forth from this source. BUT….now is the time for change. Being one of the little sheep we have been advised not to amass wealth and riches, neither do we need to be educated. We put our trust in Jehovah. At this time the Governing Body has received through holy spirit the revelation that these buildings with all the adornment need to be sold and get rid of this Devil on our backs. The elders have realized the gold and silver are from pagan origin and needs to be done away with. To be accepted into Paradise true Christians need to scale back and not be materialistic….this brothers and sisters includes the riches seen in Brooklyn! Praise God Jehovah for this revelation by divine spirit…to shed this property and give money to the poor. God will be very pleased. I am so proud of the Society with immense riches giving away all the money they have to charity. When I read this in the New York Times I was started to cry….my religion will help many in need…true Christians indeed. Where are Russell and Rutherford to see what goodness has come. Praise Jah!!!!
Well the level of cult speak is sure getting deep in this comment area. Let me put my boots on before I address the insane comments made by the JW’s. Weslee, you sound like a parrot just repeating back the nonsense that has been sold to you as “truth”. Do you have any of your own opinions about the Watchtower? How do you feel about the Watchtower joining the U.N. after decades of demonizing the organization and accusing other religions who joined the U.N. of riding the “wild beast” of Revelation? I want your own opinion, don’t just quote some Watchtower publication. Do you think that decision by the Governing Body to join the U.N. indicates a lack of intelligence on the part of the leaders of the JW’s? Who came up with the brilliant idea, “Lets join the U.N”. Do any of the JW’s commenting here have any children or parents who they are shunning because they don’t want to be a part of your little doomsday cult? People say look at the “leaves” of the organization, well I have looked at it and what I see screams out loud “IT’S A CULT”. Why would an organization want to keep it’s members uneducated? Think about it. This same group tells it’s members to work for free as slave labor recruiting more people into the cult. Want to find out more dirty secrets the Watchtower Society is hiding from it’s cult members?
Jwfacts.com
Howcultswork.com
I left the watchtower organization years ago even though i had been a member since boyhood, pioneered, been an elder and been promised the Circuit.
Yes, many faithful workers were desperately poor during and after their full-time work. What a revelation to see the vast wealth of an uncaring organisation.
I could say much, much more, but I will refrain for now.
Doug Ashcroft
I don’t get why so many people come on this apostate website to claim they’re Jehovah’s witnesses, but I guess it’s a good thing.
If Jesus was to come in these Watchtower luxury buildings, he’d have the same reaction as in the temple with the money changers.
God doesn’t belong to them and their temples. They think they’re special, but you don’t need their books or their buildings to love God and Jesus.
Although I am not a “memeber” of this organization, I have been in close contact with them for half of my life. It is painful to discover that I have been deceived all the years that I have depended on these people for my understanding of God’s word. I suppose it’s my fault and my warning to anyone who reads this thread is to NOT be lazy, and dependent on ANYONE for the truth. Search the scriptures, and pray that the true God gives you the knowledge to understand what you are reading! It may be difficult but the “Computer” world has brought with it many positives. You can now view the Bible in many translations, including Hebrew & Greek languages and dictionaries.
The Governing Body of the Witnesses certainly have a lot to answer for when “that time” comes, fortunately God provides for those of us who have been deceived (don’t know the truth.) How many Witnesss are aware of exactly who Charles T Russell was? Can anyone explain why there is a headstone in the shape of a Pyramid in a cemetary in Pensylvania, with the Inscription “The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society” engraved on it? I am not surprised at the wealth of this organization as “power & wealth’ normally follows when one is involved in these things (for those who are aware of what I’m talking about.) Isn’t it uncanny that Witnesses use the terms “Kingdom Hall, Society, New World Translation, Brother” etc. I feel so sorry for those millions of people worldwide who is being deceived but the Bible warns of these things. It is also very difficult to point out things to Witnesses, as they have been brainwashed into believing what they do. I urge ALL people of All Religions to forget what you have been taught and search the scriptures for the truth. Pray hard and observe what is happening in the world; pray for your families and live righteous; pray that God grants you the knowledge to understand his word; thank God that he sent Jesus to free us from exactly what is happening in the world today and pray for the time when we will see the plan he has fo us.
God bless.
Well thanks to all those idiots that push all the wt prpopaganda. including my parents. You too would be rich too if you had a publishing company and had a bunch of fools working for free.
Without a doubt, the Watchtower organisation has been instrumental in ruining the lives and aspirations of thousands of people. They prey on the vulnerable by misapplying the words of Jesus in MATTHEW 24 etc, scaring people into believing that the end of the world is ABOUT TO COME.
They have said this so many, many times 1874, 1914, 1975. What a pity so many people have given up everything to escape the wrath to come.
I have recently written a book entitled, ‘DO NOT BE ANXIOUS:TE WORLD HAS ALREADY ENDED.’ It is a THOROUGH, scholarly and SPIRITUAL discussion of Matthew 24 etc. The basic idea is that the words of Jesus should not be catapulted into the generation beginning in 1914. The words of Jesus were all accurately fulfilled by 70AD.
Should any one wish a copy, contact me through this site, give me your E Mail address and I will be happy to E Mail a copy of my book to you, without charge. It will certainly undercut the scare-mongering practiced by the Watchtower Society. DLA . BA(Hons) MA
If JW administrators REALLY believe the end of the world is just around the corner, why are they buying real estate ? Why is the JW organisation the biggest owner of property in the Brooklyn area and keeps trading in property ? Can some JW kindly enlighten me of the reason to acquire worldly weath ?
I was a Jw for 45 years. I thought I was in a Christian religion. How wrong I was. One of the elders, a one time best friend and mentor of mine, turned on me for critisising the elders for not showing any compassion towards me after my wife tragically died. The following Thursday meeting he gave a talk obviously aimed at me, about the sons of Kora. In a Hitlerian style (unlike his usual style) he said any murmering is a userpation of the elder’s authority. I have since disassociated my self. If any one wants to know which congregation I was in. Please Email me.
Did not Jesus say ‘judge not….’? How difficult it is to be absolutely sure of anything these days.
Cheers,
GDT
A very simple question: How do ordinarily sensible, intelligent people get ’suckered’ into Jehovah’s Witnesses? My beautiful ex-wife for example. A charming lady with a near-Mensa level of native intelligence. I was once asked, “Bill, where did your wife [at the time] receive her PhD. I’ve never spoken to a more well-spoken lady?”
When I said she did not hold a PhD he was incredulous. A true story!
Unlike many JWs I’ve met over the years who are so phony with their
‘manufactured’ sweetness my ex has always been sweet, thoughtful, hard working and kind to everyone. That’s the why of my question.
Is being a JW compensation for something? Maybe being my wife had something to do with it. I don’t know. All I do know at this time is that she is a dedicated fanatic about JWs and the garbage published by the Watchtower.
Why are current Jehovah’s witnesses on this site? Speaking with all of us is against the rules. I did not visit here to speak with you I came to hear from others who have left this brainwashing cult. If you are a JW then stop breaking your own rule. Witnessing to us is hypocritical since you are not allowed to speak with us.
wen GOD’s hand is at work, hey..da result is a marvel! JWs do all things in line with the will of da creator. so there is nothing like ” keeping their followers poor yet their leaders are rich”. in any case their leader is Jesus and those who take the leader are his slaves. so those who feel uneasy with properties of JW in the USA or any where else, plz note its due to cooperation,honesty and hardwork that JWs accomplish all that. One day, wen GOD’s kingdom removes satan and his influence everyone living on earth wil be a JW,no one wil make pipo scorn and taunt JAH or mislead pipo into ex- JW. infact its not new that some chose to disobey JHVH, even satan become devil due to disobidience..and he tries by all means to mislead others,make them feel that being outside JW org is a gud choice..its bad i can assure you. so return to JW.
SO DO PIPO REALISE THAT EVEN SATAN IS AN EX-JW ? SO TELL ME, IS SATAN BETTER OFF AFTER LEFT THE TRUTH?
Doug Ashcroft, please could you send me a copy of your book, I am very interested to read it. vickilou@live.co.uk
The thing is, even intelligent people can get sucked in, because if you’ve studied communication theories at all (I’m majoring in communications) you will INSTANTLY recognize all manner of lovely manipulation. But the biggest way the “sucker” people in, is that they target those people who are vulnerable. My mother, gods love her, is not the brightest bulb in the box but fortunately my father, though evil incarnate, has a genius level intellect. Thankfully, I take after his intellect (though not his predilection for evil, you can breathe). At 6 years old, I saw through the bullshit the society was preaching. I started asking questions that they couldn’t answer and it just got worse as I got older. The straw that broke the camel’s back was when I asked (at 13 years of age) how they would explain their very obvious brainwashing and mind control methodology of preaching. Brother Parks laughed, ruffled my hair and asked, “What’s wrong with having a clean brain?” Ever since that moment, I’ve known that not everyone in the society is brainwashed. Some of them know what’s up and THAT, my friends is when I decided that I had to run away.
Oh and Doug, please please pretty please may I have a copy of your book? lesbianmothersandothers@gmail.com
THANK YOU!
Dear Moxie,
Do you know why they sold/or are in process of selling all the NYC properties?
I will tell you why.
The whole world saw what happened on 9/11. And all, but especially, in a very special way, THEY are indeed “first-hand witnesses” of the destruction of the WTC and the collapse of the two towers, revealing the identity of Babylon, the Great, the Great City. (compare Revelation 18) They could see it from their windows.
BUT! they have not told the TRUTH! They are attempting to save their own souls, and (now???) be obedient to the command to GET OUT OF HER! But the True God, Yahweh, is not one to be fooled… He sees what they have done in secret, and how it has impacted the little ones.
It will be better that a great millstone is tied around their necks and they be thrown into the Atlantic…..for they have stumbled the meek ones, those with hearts that are precious to God.
His Judgment is not slumbering…. and it is rolling along, even now.
He himself is REVEALING all things that were previously HIDDEN.
This is the time of the UNVEILING.
On October 9th, 2001, the decision was made, and the UN disassociated the WTBTS from the UN. THEY ARE AS HARLOTS!
On the ELEVENTH of October, 2001, it was announced PUBLICLY, in the newspaper, The Guardian. Precisely one month after the towers fell.
Ponder these things….
Dear Moxie, I appreciated the things you have to say about PEOPLE.
The love you show for PEOPLE, in your heart, and in your words, the words that you have spoken in your blogs and commentaries..
But I beseech you to recognize that our Father IS real… and Moxie, to know that if YOU See all these things, how we should love our brother and not wish for their destruction, how much more so He that created all things? You are loved! If I see it, and feel compassion for you, and feel love, I know that my Father does too.
Please, seek Him. He is real, and will answer your cry, for He already knows your heart.
Do not allow mere men, to turn you away, from the True Grand Creator.
His word is still Truth, and the things happening today and yesterday and tomorrow will bear this out. The things written are true, and will come to pass, just as it is written.
But, WOE UNTO THEM!
Love to you, dear one. You will be in my prayers.
blindzebra
I was raised in the truth. Like many of the stories here, i left because i was told what i aspired to be growing up wasnt something God would approve of. It angered me and i thought how can something i desire so much be bad and how would they know what God truly wants for me. I decided that if they wanted to control me then It wasnt worth being a part of the organization and as long as God was in my heart and i stayed honest and good then he would bless me. Peolple say It is brainwashing but aren’t all religions trying to cleanse You somehow? I believe in God, but notice all the i’s and self centered statements here; when i left i really turned my back on God because i looked to my heart for answers and relyed on myself not the creator to give me the answers of what i needed to do. Now recently i have been staying with this woman who is strong in her beliefs of God and what he asks of us. She is NOT i repeat NOT a Jehovahs witness. She is part of a cavalry Church. When i moved in with her i felt i knew God more because of being a JW i was taught the best knowledge, but i wasnt praying. Now so far this seems like a turn against the organization, but what i am about to say may Change minds or people may think of me as week but you are throwing stones and quick to judge. Now the whole time I have been staying with her she has told me stop worrying and put your faith in God. She tried to get me to go with her to church, but of course I declined and all ex-witnesses know the reasoning. Now what I have always dreamt of becoming hasn’t exactly panned out for me and my friend keeps saying to me you should try relying on God. So I started praying, thinking alright if God is still with me he will answer my prayers and I can get this dream going. Well that isn’t really what happened. I started to pray at first superficially. Ok so this is a little side note but it ties in so hear me out. I voted in the last election and in the past I freely felt opinionated and wanted peace and activism. So back to the praying, superficial right? Well I started to follow the Occupy Wallstreet movement and supported it thinking finally a stand against politics and cooperate greed. Well as things worsened and the people are being pushed down, I started really praying from the heart. I asked God to help those who needed it, but left me out because I was already fine. Well I won’t go into detail, but the more I prayed the more thought and passion I put into my prayers. Well the closer I drew to God the better I felt. Then something happened.
My friend and I went to a bar and had a few drinks and her bf, who she is trying to have a Christian relationship with and have it approved in Gods eyes, showed up and she left. And didnt really come back in . One of the ladies who apparently is a regular said I don’t trust that guy he seems to want to control her. And I thought the same. Well on the drive home we got into a disagreement about this outting, because she wants to be closer to God and bars are not a place for a God fearing woman. Well none the less I felt I was more holy then she was, but something jabbed me hard and got me thinking. She said she didn’t read the bible everyday because it was to remind her of her faith, but read it so she was prepared for any attacks in case they come. That and she said the heart can be decieving and mislead.
Well that right there got me thinking. I prayed to God on this argument and felt I was right and asked him to help her well it turns out I was the weak one. Not a week after I had experienced this I got a wake-up call. A spirit called my name while I was getting ready for work. It freaked me out and I felt the presence. As many people of the truth are told call out on Jehovah’s name and you will be protected, I did but I still felt it there. Well I felt unnerved and spoke to my friends and others and they told me to prey and read the bible. Well I did and did both, but while I did I kept remembering what my friend said put your faith in God, thinking all the while it was her not me that brought this on. My dad told me when he hit rock bottom and prayed to God that he gave him three signs in one day that he needed to go back home. Well this was my rock bottom.
So I said God I put my faith in u guide me in the right direction. Well my first sign was an awake magazine at the bus stop, then my second was a coworker that grew up in the faith and the last was a fortune cookie that told me to ” follow my beliefs”. Now I am an avid believer that everything happens for a reason and the days that have followed this spirit attack have been nothing but a blessing from Jehovah.
Now these three signs were big to me it brought me closer to Jehovah, but I still wasn’t sure I mean maybe I was reading too much into it because I wanted to see these signs. Well I talked with my brother still feeling on edge about going home and he said to come with him to the kingdom hall. Well I still felt hate towards my upbringing but was open to the idea. I still feel maybe what my friend is going threw and where she is is healthy so maybe she is worshipping God the right way. Well I read the king James version of the bible online and started researching other Christian religions, but one scripture rang in my head. Psalms 83:18 and not reading the new world translation but the king James version of the bible I saw that Gods name is Jehovah. I also read that we are all born from sin and must be baptized. Well I feel I need to be baptized like right now, but I spoke to Jehovah our Lord, God and said I know who you are and I admit that I have sinned I have not been truthful to you, but I call to you so that I may accept your light and forgiveness and show me the true light. I asked him to lead me to the faith that really held up his word. Well that night I took out all my piercings which I had grown partial to having and still feel strange without them, but something inside me told me that it needed to be done. Well after I said amen I went to sleep.
The next day still leaning on God I talked with my dad and told him that I was still unsure about going back to the kingdom hall and i told him that no matter what happens I want to be on gods side that I leave it to him to show me where to go. Well I was at the bus stop waiting to for the bus to come and bring me to work and who comes, but a brother from a congregation down the road. I lept up in joy and knew that this was only Jehovah telling me where I needed to go. I felt so overjoyed I had to tell the brother this story I am writing now and I rode the bus to the mall and got off and felt over joyed with gods spirit that I broke down and cried for I knew and felt his glory. I have never felt this way ever and ironically the HS close to the mall I work at was having a marching band competition, so Gods trumpets were quite literally sounding.
Now I hope that people have read to the bottom because I didn’t share this to convert anyone and it is still fresh to me, but everyone has a story when they truly felt Gods blessings. My friend is not a Jehovah’s Witness and I felt like it was going to be hard to explain to her. I went to the meeting as my last message and the talk was on holding a grudge or forgiving and how Jehovah is always forgiving and that he who has sinned and repents reaps the splendour of gods light all the more. I was holding a grudge that my friend was wrong and I felt that Jehovah was speaking to me, but still nervous. I called my friend and at first she protested saying that JWs were a cult, but she then said well I really don’t know but what others have told me and you; if u are an ex-JW ask yourself why you only call him God after u leave. Jehovah is a sacred name and when having thoughts over fitting into this system of things, you are batting for the other side even if you feel the faith is still in you. We truly are in the time of the end and both sides are calling to their soilders to rise up and fight and those who hear the call whether it be with Satan or God will join their allegence. God is calling to his faithful one last time and for those of u who feel this you need to act now and realize that Satan will be sending his army. I know this attack that happened to me won’t be the last. And who knows if the truth is what it is and if people are making money on the top. You don’t read the bible for who controls the organization but for the creator who put us on this earth and if u think hard enough, why would God want us all up in some cloud I mean there are alot of souls and I am pretty sure those clouds might collapse. Do not judge in anger rather, follow the light of Jehovah and he will guide you where the word is strong. I know my friend has the light in her and she fights temptation everyday, but so do we all. I don’t think it is wrong what Jehovah witnesses are saying and my friend even feels that we are in the time of the end. It is the energy around us and people are choosing to ignore the signs, but Jehovah has made it clear as day. I guess it depends on how comfortably numb people want to remain, but its time to wake up because soon the sun will not be shining the same way. I hope this has opened some eyes and made others think. And as I regain my faith I feel I can finally call him Jehovah again for he has filled me with his light. As the brother who gave the talk this morning said ” remember brothers that we are all born of sin and cannot turn our cheecks in hatred to another brother. Yes we may get bothered by each other from time to time but remember that you are no greater then another and always remember to forgive as Jehovah has”.
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