Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Private house
Address: 100 Midwood Street
Cross Streets: Flatbush and Bedford Avenues
Neighborhood: Lefferts Manor/Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Year Built: 1935
Architectural Style: Colonial Revival with eclectic details
Architect: George Lobenstein
Other Works by Architect: a couple of other houses in Lefferts Manor
Landmarked: Yes, part of Lefferts Manor HD (1979)

The story: Frederick P. Norris was one of a group of developers who built the neighborhood of Lefferts Manor in the early 20th century. He already lived in Flatbush, and had built a handsome house for himself there, and was spreading his wings to develop in the neighborhood. Like other developers in the area, he first went to Axel Hedman, a prolific architect whose body of work helps define this neighborhood. In 1901, Hedman designed a group of Renaissance Revival houses for Norris on Lincoln Road. But then Norris went in another direction, and used the firm of Slee & Bryson to design a different type of house in the Manor: the Colonial Revival style brick suburban house.

Slee & Bryson excelled in Colonial Revival brick home designs. They designed attached, semi-detached and stand-alone brick homes, not only in Lefferts Manor and the larger neighborhood of Prospect Lefferts Gardens, but also in nearby Flatbush, in Park Slope, and Crown Heights North and South. Their influence in this category was vast, and they inspired lesser architects in urban and suburban developments to follow in their footsteps.

As Lefferts Manor developed, block by block, plot by plot, there were some starts and stops, due mostly to the economy, and World War I. In 1919, Frederick Norris submitted permits to build houses at 92-114 Midwood. There are some open and large lots in there, so that would have been nine houses; four pairs of semi-detached, and one stand-alone. Slee & Bryson were on board, but only the first two were built. In 1923 he applied for permits again for the remaining lots, but not all of them were ever built, so there are only three pairs on the street. Number 100, this house was not built until 1935, and Slee & Bryson were not the architects.

In 1935, George Lobenstein was hired to design a house at number 100 Midwood for a Doctor Peter Shannon. Lobenstein, who designed at least one other house in the neighborhood that we know about, channeled Slee & Bryson, and designed a very contextual home with a couple of goodies all its own. It’s got a very elegant entryway with a triangular pediment and Tuscan pilasters. The house is constructed in English bond brick with dark “burnt” bricks among the lighter ones, making the house stand out more. The oriel with the mansard roof is very nice, and quite classical with fluted pilasters and multi-paned windows.

The most unexpected treat is to look at the house from across the street, and realize that there are dormers behind the railed parapet, giving the house an extra story one might not realize is there. The house is well done, a nice house for a doctor and his family; solid, yet not ostentatious, fitting the period in which it was built. This was the last house to be built in Lefferts Manor, and it fits right in this eclectic neighborhood. Good job, Mr. Lobenstein. GMAP


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