Ramapo stops house renovation. due to alleged prep work for illegal Yeshiva

RAMAPO - The Town of Ramapo has put a stop work order on a house renovation that was supposedly a front for the construction of an all-girls Yeshiva.

Neighbors say the work was supposed to be renovations to a rental property, and that they do not want a religious private school in the neighborhood.

Construction has continued even though the stop work order was issued two weeks ago. Neighbors say a Ramapo fire inspector was at the house today, telling the workers to put down their tools.

Residents want the work to stop until the proper permits are filed, but they say that they'd rather not have the school at all given the increase in traffic it would bring to the already crowded area.

The building inspector says the owners have filed an application to convert the existing house into a 16,000-square-foot Yeshiva for 200 girls.

Officials say fines can be issued for ignoring the stop work order, but no fines were given out today.