Building of the Day: 140 Kane Street

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Former carriage house, now residence
Address: 140 Kane Street
Cross Streets: Henry and Hicks Streets
Neighborhood: Cobble Hill
Year Built: 1892
Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival
Architect/Builder: Owen McShane
Landmarked: Yes, part of Cobble Hill HD (1969)

The story: Perhaps it’s the legacy of too many episodes of “Deadwood”, but the name “Owen McShane” conjures up the image of a hard-scrabble entrepreneur with a bottle of something in front of him, sitting at a rough oaken table. Ironically enough, this Owen McShane probably did that, at one point or another. It turns out that this carriage house was built by Mr. McShane to not only stable his horses, but also to hold inventory or equipment for his bottling company. Who knew?

Owen McShane bottled mineral water and/or soda pop. His company was located in an industrial building at 85 Pacific Street, near here, also between Henry and Hicks Streets. For people who collect old bottles, an “Owen McShane” is relatively uncommon, as his business was probably pretty local, and from what I could glean, his bottles were thinner and more fragile than some of the others of the same period, so there aren’t that many around. I wasn’t able to find out very much more about it, but in 1892, he built this carriage house. His own home may have been nearby; a search of census records might help with that. Someday…

He kept his horses on the ground floor, and used the upper floor for his business. The large arched hayloft window still has the pulley apparatus hanging from above the door, enabling him to bring up supplies, and probably some hay, as well. The building is quite handsome, with fine brickwork, and a nice cornice.

Owen McShane turns up in the Brooklyn Eagle in the late 1880’s to early 20th century as a player in local Democratic politics. He was very involved in the Democratic clubs, then and now, in some locations, the best way to rise in power and influence in the community. He was a member of the First Ward Thomas Jefferson Democratic Association, and even captained the club’s steam cutter, The Thomas Jefferson, on association outings. He was also the Vice President of the Union Democratic Club, and sat on many committees. He ran for local office, but there is no record of him winning. He disappears after that, and aside from his bottles, I could find no other information on him or his company.

It should come as no surprise that one hundred years later, this rather large and airy looking building would be a prime candidate for conversion into a home. It’s got charm and certainly has location. Turning the hayloft door into a large picture window makes the place even more attractive. Most of us love carriage houses as homes, they are a nice size for a single family, and the rooms can be made to whatever configuration works for the convertor. There are a lot of carriage houses left in Cobble Hill; this one is one of my favorites. GMAP