Building of the Day: 16-32 Chester Court
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: 16-32 Chester Court, near Flatbush Avenue Name: Private Houses Neighborhood: Prospect Lefferts Gardens Year Built: 1915 Architectural Style:…
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: 16-32 Chester Court, near Flatbush Avenue
Name: Private Houses
Neighborhood: Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Year Built: 1915
Architectural Style: Neo-Tudor Revival
Architect: Peter Collins
Landmarked: No
Why chosen: Like a similar group on nearby Rutland Rd, Peter Collins designed this group, and an identical group on the other side of this street, for the Brighton Building Company, of which Collins was president. They were all built at a time in the US when the country was trending to comfortable images of the past, especially neo-Colonial and Tudor/Medieval designs. This coincides with a rise of the suburbs where these styles are especially popular. Perhaps because of the covenant that mandated one family homes in Lefferts Manor, this neighborhood seems to have become a laboratory for interesting suburban style houses configured in an urban environment. Chester Court is a cul-de-sac, ending at the end of this block with a wall, behind which runs the subway, so this tiny block is isolated, a refuge from the commercial chaos of Flatbush Avenue, making this storybook block even more special, although it is not in the landmarked district. The houses are well scaled inside, with much more room than one would think, and are nicely laid out, some still with Tudoresque details inside. Peter Collins lived in nearby Prospect Park South, and was a Commissioner of Buildings for a term. He also designed homes in Park Slope.
It’s an amazing block, Pink Clamm! Why these rude comments?
It’s Jason Nixon, one of the interior designers. I am actually a writer with an interior design business on the side. It’s an amazing block, have you all noticed the wall we had repaired and the trees about to go in. Amazing neighbors. Really a lovely, tucked-away retreat.
I like those houses but they are far from a refuge.
“do you realize how far this is from Lefferts?”
What does that mean EastFlatEasy? FWIW Chester Court is all of five blocks south of Lefferts Avenue, but the Prospect Lefferts Gardens name, for our neighborhood in the northern tip of Flatbush, which was made up c. 1968, stands for PROSPECT Park, the LEFFERTS family farm (and Lefferts Manor) and the Brooklyn Botanic GARDEN.
You might as well write “Why can’t we call Brooklyn, Brooklyn” when people refer, for example, to Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, or Ft. Green, all of which were in the City of Brooklyn, before it’s 1894 expansion to include all of Kings County.
Whoops, Tinarina. I forget today. Fixing.
Oh, PLG is definitely in Flatbush, EFF. Indeed, it’s the very first neighborhood in the “town” of Flatbush. However, that’s the point — it’s one of many sections of Flatbush that has its own name, Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Just like East Flatbush, Ditmas Park, Caton Park, Prospect Park SW, Midwood and so on are all neighborhoods within the larger community of Flatbush as well.
Question for you: Which Lefferts are you referring to?
Why can’t we call Flatbush, Flatbush? I mean really…do you realize how far this is from Lefferts?
Another terrific post, MM. It would be great to add a GMAP link!
I always love peeking at this street from the train as it passes below in the culvert–cool! (Although I have often wondered just how peaceful it could be, sandwiched between the B/Q lines and Flatbush Ave…)