'Berserk Eclecticism' on Clarkson Avenue
One of the great mysteries we’ve encountered on our countless Saturday afternoons trawling the architectural landscape of Brooklyn is the rambling, crumbling house on Clarkson Avenue just off Bedford in Flatbush. We first noticed it one day back in the Fall of 2005 and have revisited on several occasions. But we had no idea about…
One of the great mysteries we’ve encountered on our countless Saturday afternoons trawling the architectural landscape of Brooklyn is the rambling, crumbling house on Clarkson Avenue just off Bedford in Flatbush. We first noticed it one day back in the Fall of 2005 and have revisited on several occasions. But we had no idea about its history until Christopher Gray’s piece in The Times this weekend. The house, built by the brewer Herman Raub in 1902, defies simple stylistic categorization. Here’s what Gray has to say:
Its roof planes are akimbo, like a Cubist avalanche. The front portico lunges out from the complex massing, while an open balcony on the third floor bursts through the roof like a jack-in-the-box. Unlike the neo-Georgian and other conventionally styled houses then popular in the neighborhood, Mr. Raub’s was topped by four-sided domes, pointed towers and jerkin-head gables, where the point of the roof is cut off at a slant.
Its roof planes are akimbo, like a Cubist avalanche. The front portico lunges out from the complex massing, while an open balcony on the third floor bursts through the roof like a jack-in-the-box. Unlike the neo-Georgian and other conventionally styled houses then popular in the neighborhood, Mr. Raub’s was topped by four-sided domes, pointed towers and jerkin-head gables, where the point of the roof is cut off at a slant.While the exterior is worse for the ware, the spectacular interior—with its baroque murals, paneled dining room and double-height foyer—are surprisingly intact. Which may help explain the $3.15 million price that the owner for the last two decades is now asking for the house. Can anyone steer us to the listing?
A Fantastical Three-Story Concoction [NY Times] GMAP P*Shark
Top photo by Nicholas Strini for Property Shark
Bottom photo from My Life in Brooklyn
I moved to Parkside Avenue as a kid in 1944, and the back of this house was down the street. The house was an anomaly back then, stuck between apartment houses and brownstones further down Parkside. Of course, it was in a lot better shape, and while I don’t remember them, we played with the kids who lived there. We always referred to the house as the “mansion” and even for kids, it was a fantastic construction, unlike anything else around. I’ve never forgotten that house and it would be a shame for it to be torn down. I visited the area a few years ago–to see where I grew up and to revisit the “mansion”. I’d be surprised if it sold to a developer–when I was there the area didn’t look right for development–it’s far from being gentrified, but again, that was a few years ago. Who knows today?Unfortunately, I don’t know what PLG stands for–when I lived there in the 40’s and 50’s, it was in the heart of Flatbush. And unless the streets have moved, it still is.
I’m really sick of you guys who want to shrink wrap everything you guys think are historic bs.
If you think its worth saving just buy the freaking place. put your money where your mouth is.
Just a bunch of typos 🙂 Got a baby on one hip while I’m typing!
Apologies.
Nothing to correct Erin.
In the PLG Hist. Dist, Lincoln I (S. side) has all large frame houses; Fenimore II (N. side) has a mix of frame houses and brownstones.
PLG is certainly Flatbush, but obviously it has acquired another, separate identity over the years, due to it’s brownstone associations. However, and Bob can correct me if I’m wrong, there are a substantial number of surviving freestanding frame Victorian homes in PLG. There were actually many, many more freestanding frame homes starting around Clarkson and heading south, joining up with the surviving areas of Victorian Flatbush, as well as the now defunct Vanderveer Park, to the east, which is almost completely destroyed. As early as the 1920s, homes in this area (near Crooke and St. Paul’s, as well as down Flatbush and Ocean) were raised to build apartment buildings. There are still a few frame homes to be found in this vast area, which once must have comprised nearly 1000 freestanding frame homes.
Well Bob there is still Ebbett’s Field apartments.
Oh, how I wish there was still a 26 lane bowling alley on Parkside…
Uh oh–make that “Ebbets Field WAS in Crown Hts.” Talk about living in the past!
To make things even more complicted, Ebbets Field IS in Crown Hts (north of that brass strip in the BBG) but “Flatbush’ probably made for better newspaper copy 🙂
That works…Kind of a broken angel concept…
BTW..I agree with the Flatbush attatchment, but “central Flatbush”?.. since Ebbets Field was always stated as in Flatbush then it makes sense this is indeed Flatbush…though my aunt live on Crown Street around the corner and always called it Crown Heights… Which relates to today’s news of the two cops getting shot in Crown Heights…which was really PLG…which some still call Flatbush…