Building of the Day: 16 Broadway

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Mixed use commercial/residential building, now residential
Address: 16 Broadway
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Year Built: 1884
Architectural Style: Queen Anne
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: No

The story: I like this building. It’s such an anomaly in placement on the street, and architectural style. I’m sure somewhere there is a record of the architect, but his design thoughtfully included the date on the façade. It’s a great Queen Anne building with touches of the Gothic in the dormer and the wonderfully sharp peaked roof, decorated with terra-cotta tile work, and cartouches. It was built in the heyday of downtown Williamsburg’s industrial past, and from what I could gather, opened with a ground floor saloon. Between the waterfront, the factories, and the sugar refineries, this area, at the beginning of Broadway was hopping, and a saloon down here probably thrived. The building gives the impression of something better than a waterfront dive. In 1886, the saloon was owned by two gentlemen named Mertz and Jagbe, who were cited for selling beer on a Sunday. By 1892, a saloon was still in operation, but the upper floors were occupied by the offices of former Senator Frank Kiernan, who ran a Western Union office there, as well as his Kiernan News Company. He made the paper because Western Union had taken him to court for non-payment. The address again makes the news in 1894, when Louis A Marguilas was arrested for selling obscene literature and pictures from the bar. It was not clear if he was the bartender, owner or a patron. By 1899, the saloon was owned by John Gaetzner. At some point in its history, the arched entryway that once illuminated the saloon was filled in, and the office space and rest of the building was converted to residential use. It has four units now. Today it stands in contrast to the industrial buildings around it, another of the interesting buildings of downtown Williamsburg, and one with a great view.