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Christopher Gray visited Bedford Stuyvesant for this weekend’s Streetscapes column, which explores the “complex” mixture of buildings on Herkimer Street between Bedford and Nostrand. Some of the larger properties on the block, like the T.P. Wilkinson house at 78 Herkimer and the former Kismet Temple, have been given Building of the Day treatment by Montrose. The column also touches on a row of five brownstones that have each been painted a different color; a few homes that have seen some unfortunate adventures in aluminum siding; and a stretch of “two-story brownstone dollhouses with arched windows,” such as No. 47, shown above left. And there are fun descriptions of buildings like No. 32, pictured at right above: It “was built around 1890, its gawky five stories jutting out and over its two-story neighbors. Today a developer who tried that would be pilloried, but present eyes see a luscious, furnacelike ironspot orange brick, contrasting with details in a muscular rust-red paint. An 1893 ad in The Eagle promised velvet carpets in the hallways, something even Mr. Trump has not yet ventured.”
A Hike Down Herkimer Street [NY Times]
Photos from PropertyShark.


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Quote: God only knows why he would stop at Nostrand. The houses in the middle of Herkimer between Nostrand and New York (I believe Romanesque revival) are real treasures. –herkimermaid Unquote

    Well, Herkimermaid, if you are referring to the story in the Times about the single block on Herkimer, you could ask God, or even me. If you asked me, I would say that 850 words doesn’t even begin to cover a single block – could easily have been 3000. I’ve been writing for 25 years – if I can find my way to Brooklyn again, I might just jump Nostrand – perhaps as early as 2015. As long as it’s OK with MM.

    On the other hand, by “he” you mean Benson, I can say that when we sat together last night at the white tie Landmarks Preservation Commission Gala Fundraiser he told me he skipped your block because it didn’t have any big, efficient monolithic high-rises on it.

    Christopher

  2. Nice pic, thanks for posting it. The block really has some lovely homes on it. A few of the places that were abandoned when I moved there a few years ago have been bought and fixed up, though sadly not restored (I think they were too far gone for that). It’s also looking generally good this year with all the new trees. Yes, bxgrl maybe we could check out the new place that Ms Dahlia’s opened up on Nostrand, or get a bite to eat at Peaches Hothouse? BedstuyMaven too 🙂