Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn -- 56 Pierrepont St History

The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy.

Address: 56 Pierrepont Street, between Hicks and Henry
Name: Private House
Neighborhood: Brooklyn Heights (Brooklyn Heights Historic District)
Year Built: 1870’s
Architectural Style: Second Empire/Neo-Grec
Architects: Unknown
Landmarked: Yes

Walking down the street, this house grabs you. It’s the white Neo-Grec ornament on an otherwise austere Second Empire facade.

Probably built at the same time as its neighbors, especially the house to the left, the Neo-Grec detail, Second Empire mansard roof, and heavy staircase put this house much later than the 1840 date listed on city records.

Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn -- 56 Pierrepont St History

If you look closely, the detail is quite complex, with pediments and sills supported by brackets, all with incised floral and geometric stone carving. The city lists this building as a 16 unit apartment building, which means there probably isn’t too much original detail left inside, so it’s great that we still have such an excellent facade.

Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn -- 56 Pierrepont St History

Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn -- 56 Pierrepont St History

Brooklyn Heights Brooklyn -- 56 Pierrepont St History

[Photos by Suzanne Spellen]


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. grand army,

    Your theory — about the Victorian elements having been added later — is interesting.
    You could be on to something. The exterior certainly looks, to my relatively untrained eye, like a hodgepodge.

  2. According to Property Shark, the building is 25 X 66.

    The C of O on Property shark says:

    Cellar — ordinary, boiler
    Basement — one family and one furnished room
    Frist floor — two families
    second floor — two families and two furnished rooms
    third floor — two families and two furnished rooms
    fourth floor — two families and two furnished rooms
    Total — 9 families and 7 furnished rooms.

    Obviously, this designation is leftover from the days of yore.

    How many buzzers did you count, Minard?