Building of the Day: 119 95th Street

Editor’s note: An updated version of this post can be viewed here.

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Bennett-Farrell-Feldmann House
Address: 119 95th Street
Cross Streets: Shore Road and Marine Avenue
Neighborhood: Bay Ridge
Year Built: 1847, moved 1913
Architectural Style: Greek Revival
Architect: Unknown, but restored in 2000, by Anita Bartholin Brandt Architect, P.C
Landmarked: Yes, Individual landmark (1999)

The story: Bay Ridge is an old town, settled by the Dutch as part of the larger town of New Utrecht, in the mid-1600’s. It used to be called “Yellow RidgeHook” due to the color of the clay, but in 1853, after a series of horrific yellow fever epidemics, the town changed its name to Bay Ridge, celebrating the neighborhood’s pride and joy – that incredible view of the Narrows and New York Bay. Nearby, the town of Fort Hamilton grew up around the Fort, an important defensive battlement built on the Narrows headlands, between 1815 and 1831. By the mid-1800’s, Fort Hamilton was a wealthy summer suburb, with large villas built along the meandering and scenic Shore Road that connected the two towns. In 1847, Joseph Bennett had this villa built on land he had inherited from his grandparents; a nice piece of land on the beautiful Shore Road.

Bennett’s grandfather was the first European to settle in the Gowanus area, and his grandmother was the daughter of New Utrecht’s largest landowner. The family was quite wealthy, and the Bennett house was one of the finest villas on the Shore Road, set back from the road, surrounded by a stand of trees and a generous lawn. Joseph Bennett lived here with his wife and four children, as well as three or four Irish servants. Around him were several other members of the extended Bennett family, all on their extensive family land.

The yellow fever epidemics that plagued the area took a heavy toll in the late 1850’s, leaving many of the Shore Road villas empty. Joseph Bennett and his family moved to Staten Island, and eventually sold the house. A number of people lived in it, including James Farrell, born a dirt poor lad in Ireland, who rose to success as a merchant and Tammany Hall appointee. His was a colorful family, which included a son, Jack, who was a promoter for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. The Farrell’s lived in the house from 1890 until 1912. Farrell himself died in 1910, and the sons divided the now very valuable Shore Road property. Clara and Herman Feldmann, and their adult daughter Mina, bought the house itself, and had it moved to the present location on 95th Street, which they had also just purchased. This occurred around 1913. The estate of a member of the extended Feldmann family still owned the house when it was landmarked in 1999. It was empty at the time of designation, and in danger of being destroyed for development.

Greek Revival villas and farmhouses were once a staple of American architecture, the predominant style of free-standing homes between 1820 and the late 1840’s. Here in Brooklyn, older neighborhoods such as Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene and Cobble Hill still have Greek Revival rowhouses and here and there, a free standing villa. These villas are scattered from Clinton Hill to Crown and Stuyvesant Heights and beyond. They are rare, and fortunately, most are now landmarked. Southern Brooklyn has very few. Bay Ridge, as a whole, is far behind in landmarking, and has only two individually landmarked buildings, this house and the much later and different Arts and Crafts styled “Gingerbread House”.

In 2000, the new owners of the house hired the architectural firm of Anita Bartholin Brandt Architect, P.C. as the project architect and PRESERV, Inc., as the contractor. With a grant from the Historic Properties Fund from the Landmarks Conservancy, they began an extensive restoration of the once grand villa, replacing the roof, repairing and replacing the clapboard, shutters, windows, foundation and porch, a total transformation. Today, this important house is once again one of the most beautiful homes in Bay Ridge. GMAP