Downtown Brooklyn

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Row houses
Address: 291-299 State Street
Cross Streets: Smith and Hoyt Streets
Neighborhood: Downtown Brooklyn
Year Built: 1871
Architectural Style: Italianate
Architect: Michael Murray (builder/architect)
Landmarked: Yes, individual landmarks (1973), National Register of Historic Places (1980)

The story: These houses are interesting and important for a number of reasons. In 1973, the Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the twenty-three 19th century houses that stand on both sides of State Street, between Smith and Hoyt Streets. Although they are informally called the “State Street Houses,” in a rare move, this block was not declared an historic district, but each of the houses was issued a separate designation report, and each, technically, is an individual landmark. Today’s BOTD’s are the only five houses that appear on the north side of the street.

Originally, there were nine more houses here on the right, and probably another fourteen or so, going towards Smith Street. This stretch of State Street, progressing down towards Flatbush, was considered part of the development of Boerum Hill, which started in the 1840s, as Brooklyn expanded out from the riverfront and the Heights. Like much of Brooklyn, this started out as farmland, land that belonged to Dutch families whose names now sound like an atlas of Brooklyn street names. The south side of State Street was part of the Jacob Van Brunt farm, willed to his daughter Jane, who was married to Samuel T. Gerritsen. State Street was originally called Gerritsen Street. In 1833, Charles Hoyt and Russell Nevins bought the Gerritsen farm, and began developing it. (more…)

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: The Robert Livingston Apartments
Address: 77 Livingston Street
Cross Streets: Court and Boerum Street
Neighborhood: Downtown Brooklyn
Year Built: 1964
Architectural Style: Modernist
Architect: Philip Birnbaum
Other Work by Architect: Over 300 buildings, including Hotel Parker Meridian, The Galleria, One Lincoln Plaza, Trump Plaza, all in Manhattan. Metropolitan Industrial Bank, Forest Hills, Queens.
Landmarked: No

The story: Here on the Building of the Day, we strive to bring you information on all kinds of buildings that go to make up the architectural fabric of Brooklyn. Over the weekend, I was one of fifteen or so people who attended a walking tour of Downtown Brooklyn’s Skyscraper Historic District and environs, a tour sponsored by the Historic Districts Council. Our tour guide was Francis Morrone, the eminent author and authority on New York City’s architecture. He lives here in Brooklyn, and is especially well versed in our architectural diversity, and is the author of “An Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn,” a book I reference so often, I’ve had to tape it back together.

Francis had just told us about 75 Livingston, the beautiful Neo-Gothic Chamber of Commerce Building, and our tour was headed down to the former Board of Ed building, when we stopped in front of the Robert Livingston, and Francis pointed to it. Everyone laughed. THIS place? Worthy of a stop and chat? Well, yes, and you know what? It too, like the much more beautiful and interesting buildings around it, also had a tale to tell. (more…)