Building of the Day: 480-484 Humboldt Street

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: The Schoolhouse Lofts, originally the James W. Smith Memorial of the Industrial School Association of Brooklyn, E.D.
Address: 480-484 Humboldt Street
Cross Streets: Corner Richardson Street
Neighborhood: East Williamsburg
Year Built: 1896
Architectural Style: Renaissance Revival
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: No

The story: The Industrial School Association of Brooklyn, Eastern District, was established in East Williamsburg in 1864. A group of wealthy Protestant Brooklynites decided that help was needed for the children of the immigrant poor. Although public education had been established long before, many children were not enrolled in school for a number of reasons, including not having adequate clothing for school. It was thought that German immigrants were the most industrious of the new immigrant population, and therefore worthy, so this group established the first Industrial School in the mostly German neighborhood of what is now called East Williamsburg.

The first school was on South 3rd Street, with another established on Scholes Street. Both provided the children with a comparable education to public school. They also made sure the children were well clothed and fed, and had after school programs for those whose parents worked past school hours. Other branches of the ISAB, ED opened as the years past. By the end of the century, there was even more need, so the announcement that a new school would be opened on Humboldt Street was met with great joy.

The school was funded by Mrs. James W. Smith, the widow of a former president of the Consolidated Gas Company of Brooklyn and the Metropolitan Gas Company in Manhattan. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith had long been supporters of the Association, and Smith was a Trustee. He was well known for his interest in the school and the children, and had personally funded Christmas activities for the children, buying trees and gifts for the kids for several years.

Smith died in 1894, dropping dead of a stroke while playing billiards. He was only 60. He did not leave a will, but had told friends and family that he wanted to build a new building for the School. Mrs. Smith was more than happy to oblige, and donated $25,000 for the building, to be named for her husband. An unnamed architect was commissioned, and the James W. Smith Memorial building was built here on Humboldt Street, next door to another Institute building that housed a day care center. It too, had been funded by Smith. The new building opened with great fanfare in 1896.

Mrs. Smith continued to fund the organization and volunteer until her own early death, from pneumonia, in 1898. Both are buried in Green-Wood. Records of the Association showed that the Smith Memorial took in over 200 children in a wide range of ages. The younger ones were in a day care program, there was a kindergarten program, and older children received traditional schooling. The oldest of the students also took programs in carpentry, sewing and other marketable skills. They also passed out clothing, shoes and bread to many of the children.

I was able to find records of the Association until 1918. By 1930, the building became the St. Cecilia’s Maternity Hospital. That year, it had 50 beds, 50 bassinets and a staff of 25. In later years, the hospital became a branch of St. Catherine’s Hospital, and was called Old St. Catherine’s Maternity Hospital. I also saw references to it as The Home for Italian Children, Casa Dei Bambini Italiani, as late as 2001.

Today, the building has 21 rental apartments. The records say that the building was constructed in 1928. They are quite wrong, and unfortunately, obscure a noble turn of the 20th century gesture of charity and generosity to a group that provided hope and education to kids who might not have had anything had not the Association been there for them.The name of James W. Smith is long gone from around the archway over the door. GMAP

(Photo: Scott Bintner for Property Shark)