Building of the Day: 142 Joralemon Street
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy. Address: 142 Joralemon Street, between Clinton Street and Sidney Place Name: Medical Arts Building Neighborhood: Brooklyn Heights Year Built:…
The BOTD is a no-frills look at interesting structures of all types and from all neighborhoods. There will be old, new, important, forgotten, public, private, good and bad. Whatever strikes our fancy. We hope you enjoy.
Address: 142 Joralemon Street, between Clinton Street and Sidney Place
Name: Medical Arts Building
Neighborhood: Brooklyn Heights
Year Built: 1927
Architectural Style: Art Deco
Architect: Mortimer E. Freehof
Landmarked: Yes
I’ve always liked this building. I like the height and the way the stylized caduceus and heron reliefs repeat across the facade, emphasized by those great lions that form a line of brackets holding up the balcony, its only purpose being to become a stylized marquee for the building’s name.
The Middle Eastern iron screens on the arched windows also make this design unique and memorable. This Art Deco styling takes an ordinary 13 story office building and transforms it into a truly beautiful building. It took me the longest time to find out who built it, (thank you, Francis Morrone!) but after finding out, turns out the architect has other work all over the place, including the Heights.
Mortimer Freehof was a Columbia University trained architect whose early days were spent as a draftsman at the firm of Lord & Hewlett. In addition to this building, he designed a number of apartment buildings in the Heights, including 35 Pierrepont St., 24 Monroe Pl., and 124 Clinton St.
He also designed a couple of homes in Prospect Park South, where he lived, the Community Building for Temple Beth Elohim, in Park Slope, and apartment and other buildings in Manhattan. An ardent supporter of fine art, he also sponsored an award for excellence in painting, still given annually by the Salmagundi Club, under his name.
Freehof had a long life and rich career, living from 1893 to 1986, a long 93 years. I hope he realized how good some of his buildings are, especially this one. It is still commercial offices, with 65 units, some multi-roomed suites. Some are even rented by doctors!
[Photos by Suzanne Spellen]
Great details – the herons and the lions.
I love this building too.
It’s design is so interesting. I did not know this was designed by Mortimer Freehof.
I was told once by some authority that what makes this a “Medical Arts” building was that it was built with many more plumbing risers than a conventional office building.
it is a cooperative
My podiatrist is there. He has the nicest view in NY – all lower Manhattan and the harbor over towards Bush Terminal.
Some? Aren’t a lot rented by doctors? I feel like I’ve been here a few times for kids specialty things.
And I highly recommend my dermatologist, Dr Hennesey, who is in here. His ties are often Hermes which is really how you can tell a good derm, am i right?