Building of the Day: 836 Prospect Place

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Private house
Address: 836 Prospect Place
Cross Streets: Nostrand and New York Avenues
Neighborhood: Crown Heights North
Year Built: 1888
Architectural Style: Queen Anne
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: Yes, just designated in part of CHN HD, Phase 2 (2011)

The story: I can distinctly remember the first time I walked down this block, probably my favorite block in Crown Heights North. I turned left on Nostrand Avenue and there it was, this great block with wonderful mixture of exceptional row houses, apartment buildings, and huge free standing and semi-detached houses. The southern side of the street, where this and other similar houses stand, reminded me of the architecture in the smaller cities upstate, and was so different from the row houses and apartment buildings that surround them. Most of this group of red brick houses, built by several different architects, are semi-detached, still with large grounds, garages and welcoming front porches. This one stands alone.

Even the expert researchers at the LPC couldn’t find the architect, but advertisements in the Brooklyn Eagle in June of 1888 state, “New Queen Anne house for sale, $14,500…hardwood trim, mantels, gas fixtures, steam heat, etc. Dining room on parlor floor.” The house was more than likely built on spec, and early owners were Margueritta and Frederick B. Thomason, who married in 1896, and lost their son, Frederick Jr, suddenly in 1902. I was not able to find out what Mr. Thomason did for a living, but he made good money and was in good standing in society, as the couple’s names appear in the society pages, including after the death of their child.

By 1909, the house belonged to Mr. D.H. Allen and family. Daughter Florence Caldwell Allen was presented to society in a coming out party at the home that year. In 1924, owner John Wiardi had the garage built. Much later, in 1949, the house was home to Gunnar and Dorothy Larson, who, along with a friend, were found just off a pier in the East River on a cold January night, trying, the police said, to swim from Manhattan to Brooklyn. They were rescued, and told a magistrate that although there was alcohol present, and talk of swimming to Brooklyn, Mrs. Larson had fallen in, and her husband and friend jumped in to rescue her. They were released by the court.

Fast forwarding, the house was in the public eye when the owner at the time placed the house on the market in 2007 for a whopping $1.7 million. He obviously was trying to sell it for development, as the house sits on a large 50×150 foot lot, and it was the height of the boom. The community was not pleased, as this block was slated to be landmarked, and is otherwise intact and original. Fortunately, no one bit, and he ended up selling it to the state, which vastly overpaid for the property, planning to put yet another social service facility there. Those plans seem to be on permanent hold, perhaps the only good thing to come out of a budget crisis. The future of the house remains to be seen. GMAP