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May 21, 2008
Closing Bell: On the Waterfront
The photos above are part of a project by Bettina Johae called "Borough Edges." Johae's work includes hundreds of photos of the perimeters of all five boroughs. The artist took the pictures from 2004 and 2007 during bike rides, and some of them are included in an exhibit at the NYPL's Humanities and Social Services Library in Midtown called "Eminent Domain: Contemporary Photography and the City." You can see all the photos here. There are 347 of Brooklyn alone.
Borough Edges [nyply.org]
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Comments
That's not really Vinegar Hill, it's the Commandant's House near Vinegar Hill.
It is one of the finest Federal period houses in the USA. Too bad it isn't open to the public.
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 4:31 PM
Well I would call that House in Vinegar Hill...But in any event it is an interesting house that always has some fancy cars parked inside the gates...So what is the deal with the place? Anybody know?
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 4:45 PM
Do all the houses in Vinegar Hill look like that? I'm into the entry gates.
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 4:52 PM
That's definitely Vinegar Hill. What else would you call it? Anyway the story is that it's the only part of the Navy Yard that was sold off and is now in private ownership. It was originally sold to someone who owned a railroad (I forget his name and the name of the railroad, but I'm sure that some Brooklyn old timers on this board know whom I mean). It is currently owned by a professor at Rockefeller University. He lives in it with his family. He collects classic cars. There's also a cool carriage house on the grounds that has been renovated into a guest cottage. Also - the dining area is oval-shaped with hidden doors. It looks alot like the white house's oval office. There is a rumor that the house was designed by Charles Bulfinch - one of the architects of the capitol or the white house or something.
-Ella
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 5:19 PM
The Commandant's House was built in 1806 and has been attributed to Boston architect Charles Bullfinch. It was built in, and as part of, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, whether that means it is also in Vinegar Hill is debatable. Now it is privately owned. The dining room is elliptical and has elliptical sliding pocket doors. The enormous porches are unique in NYC. It is more elegant than Gracie Mansion, its close contemporary.
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 5:25 PM
"That's not really Vinegar Hill, it's the Commandant's House near Vinegar Hill."
okay *maybe* that's technically the navy yard, but give us all a break.
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 5:29 PM
why do people need to bitch about everything?
awesome collection of shots. thanks for posting.
Posted by: BrooklynLove at May 21, 2008 8:21 PM
I believe the man who lives here is known as the "Duke of the Vinegar" and everyone who lives in Vinegar Hill are his vassals.
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 8:25 PM
Here's a good article from the Times about the house:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/realestate/25scap.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=brooklyn+gracie&st=nyt&oref=slogin
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 10:36 PM
What's the difference between "ellipical" and "oval". I remember from my architectural history classes that ellipses were big during the Federal period. Is it the same as oval?
Posted by: guest at May 21, 2008 11:04 PM
LOL-If that is not Vinegar Hill nothing is.
While technically that house used to be part of the Navy Yard and probably still is on most maps, the only way to get to it is through Vinegar Hill. It is Vinegar Hill right up to the gate.
Posted by: guest at May 22, 2008 11:01 AM
What a DIRTY photographer. He probably lives in 475 Kent and is a bitter renter.
Posted by: guest at May 22, 2008 4:06 PM
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