410-418 Myrtle Ave, NS, PS 1

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

A local entrepreneur and developer built these buildings on Clinton Hill’s only commercial corridor, and then put his brother’s bank on the corner lot.

Name: Storefronts with flats above
Address: 410-418 Myrtle Avenue
Cross Streets: Clinton and Vanderbilt Avenues
Neighborhood: Clinton Hill
Year Built: 1887-1888
Architectural Style: Queen Anne
Architect: George Walgrove
Other works by architect: 287-293 DeKalb Avenue, Clinton Hill; row houses in Manhattan; several buildings on Riker’s Island
Landmarked: No

A Commercial Hub

This set of storefront and apartment buildings was built on one of Clinton Hill’s busiest corners. The Queen Anne style of architecture was a mixture of materials, shapes and textures, and these buildings fit the bill.

The architect, George Walgrove, mixed brownstone, brick, pressed metal, and terra cotta, with arched Romanesque Revival windows, a nice corner turret and expansive windows on the ground floor commercial spaces.

Built for the Family Bank

John Englis was the son of a Greenpoint shipbuilder. His father’s company built many of the sailing ships that plied the China route. After his father’s death, he and his sons renamed the company John Englis & Sons. They produced some of the finest steam ships that sailed up and down the Hudson River.

410-418 Myrtle Ave, CB, PS 1

Christopher Bride for PropertyShark

After retiring from shipbuilding, John Englis was the director of the Brooklyn and New York Ferry Company. He also invested in real estate. Some of his properties were on Myrtle Avenue, the main commercial street for both the northern end of Clinton Hill and the large community of Wallabout.

Englis invested near his home — he lived at 196 Clinton Avenue, just up the street and was a vocal and powerful part of the community.

He sued the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad when they built the elevated line over Myrtle Avenue, saying the noisy, dirty train lowered his property values. He didn’t win that one.

But he did have some nice property on Myrtle. The corner building, 418, was built primarily to house his brother’s bank – the newly formed Wallabout Bank, which was established in 1888. Charles Englis was the first president of the bank.

410-418 Myrtle Ave, Wallabout Bank, early 20th c. BPL 1

Undated Photo via the Brooklyn Public Library

The other three buildings were listed on a separate permit, but all were built at the same time. Interestingly, the plans were submitted in 1886, but the buildings did not go into construction for another two years.

The lot to the side of the building has never been built on, and instead of parking, was an elegant entrance to the bank.

The corner tower is quite nice, as is the balancing three story oriel at the rear, supported by brackets that surround what used to be an entrance. The oriel is very similar to Walgrove’s houses on Clinton and DeKalb, which have similar curved surfaces.

410-418 Myrtle Ave, BE ad, 1905

1905 ad via the Brooklyn Eagle

The Wallabout Bank was the ground floor tenant of the corner building from its inception in 1889 until it merged with the People’s Trust in 1905. This was the bank that played a crucial role in the life and crimes of young Bryce Arthur Whyte.

The bank’s customer base was mostly from the wholesale produce, meat and grocery dealers at the nearby Wallabout Market. When the bank merged with the People’s Trust in 1905, a group of them established the Dealer’s Trust in 1906.

The People’s Trust was eventually bought out by the Federal National City Bank. Today, this banking establishment is an Emigrant Savings Bank Branch.

Top photo by Nicholas Strini for PropertyShark

410-418 Myrtle Ave, Charles Englis, BL 1900

Charles Englis, first president of Wallabout Bank. Photo via Brooklyn Life, 1900

410-418 Myrtle Ave, BE ad, 1905 2

1905 ad via the Brooklyn Eagle

410-418 Myrtle Ave, Google Maps

Photo from Google Maps

410-418 Myrtle Ave, CB, PS 3

Photo by Christopher Bride for Property Shark


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment