Flatbush

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Row houses
Address: 17-33 Linden Boulevard
Cross Streets: Flatbush and Bedford Avenues
Neighborhood: Flatbush
Year Built: 1899-1900
Architectural Style: French Renaissance Revival
Architect: F.L. Lowe
Other buildings by architect: Standish Arms Hotel/Apts, Brooklyn Heights
Landmarked: No

The story: In 1899, a Chicago architect/builder/developer named Clarence H. Tabor came to NY, looking for new opportunities. Tabor was a successful architect/developer in the Chicago area, known for his suburban homes. He told the Brooklyn Eagle that in his opinion, after travelling throughout the country, that the Greater New York area had the most attractive suburbs of any city in America, and that Brooklyn was his best choice among boroughs, and Flatbush was the best choice in Brooklyn. He intended to live there, and begin his development business. At that time, Flatbush was fast becoming a middle and upper-class suburban community, with large suburban homes going up everywhere, as well as rows of excellent townhouses, and better apartment buildings. (more…)

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church
Address: 890 Flatbush Avenue
Cross Streets: Corner of Church Avenue
Neighborhood: Flatbush
Year Built: 1793-98
Architectural Style: Federal
Architect: Thomas Fardon
Landmarked: Yes, individual landmarked in 1966, one of the earliest landmarks in the city. Also on the National Register of Historic Places.

The story: Believe it or not, the oldest continuously used site used for religious purposes in New York City is right here. As the Flatbush Reformed Church’s website says, they’ve been “doin’ good in the ‘hood since 1654.” That year, Governor Peter Stuyvesant authorized a wooden church to be built on this location, in the town of “Midwout”, or “Vlaake Bos” He specified that it should be built in the shape of a cross, 60 to 65 feet long, and 28 feet in width, with the pastor’s quarters in the rear of the church. In 1698, the second church to stand here was built. It was out of stone, and had a steeple. The final church to be built, this one, was built between 1793 and ’98. It was designed by Thomas Fardon.

As time went on, “Vlaake Bos” would be Anglicized to “Flatbush”, as this church became the center of civic and religious life in the area. The original Flatbush courthouse once stood next door, and the first public school was built across the way, in 1658. In 1787, before the current church building was built, Erasmus Hall Academy would replace the original schoolhouse, making Flatbush one of the most important centers in the entire county of Kings. (more…)

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Address: Former RKO Kenmore Theater, now Modell’s Sporting Goods Store
Cross Streets: Flatbush Avenue and East 21st Street
Neighborhood: Flatbush
Year Built: 1928
Architectural Style: Colonial Revival
Architect: Eugene DeRosa, with murals by Willy Pogany
Other Buildings by Architect: Times Square Theater, Broadway Theater, 8th Street Theater
Landmarked: No

The story: Brooklyn was once a city of theaters. In 1928, the Keith-Albee Kenmore Theater opened here, with a seating capacity of 2,420 people. The Kenmore was a vaudeville house, with the seating designed so that the audience was close to the stage. There were dressing rooms for the performers backstage and in the basement, and there was an orchestra pit and a huge Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. The theater was designed by Italian-born architect Eugene DeRosa, who designed over thirty major theaters in the New York City area. Among his finest were the Time Square Theater, now a church, and the Broadway Theater, for a long time, home to Les Miz. He also designed the now gone 8th Street Theater, forever famous as home to the Rocky Horror Show. (more…)

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Commercial building
Address: 818 Flatbush Avenue
Cross Streets: Caton Avenue and Linden Boulevard
Neighborhood: Flatbush
Year Built: 1930’s
Architectural Style: Art Deco
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: No

The story: Sometimes the most interesting buildings have no information available to us; on line, anyway. Such is the case with this really fine Art Deco commercial space. This part of Flatbush Avenue is near the commercial heart of Flatbush, the intersection of Flatbush and Church Avenues. The buildings here are a naturally evolving mixture of late 19th century Victorian, early 20th century Classical and Renaissance Revival, Art Deco and Modernist, on up to recent glass, concrete and mortar, late 20th century storefronts.

Flatbush in the 1930’s was a thriving middle-class neighborhood, and Flatbush Avenue has long been its busiest and most important commercial strip. It comes then, as no surprise that some really fine buildings were built here, all designed to house the stores and businesses that kept this area a one-stop shopping and entertainment area. This building has an advantageous corner location, and whatever was here originally surely took advantage of the ample light and space available.

I chose it as the BOTD because…
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