Building of the Day: 67 Schermerhorn 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: 67 Schermerhorn Street, between Court Street and Boerum Place Name: Formerly the Bureau of Charities Headquarters Neighborhood: Downtown…
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: 67 Schermerhorn Street, between Court Street and Boerum Place
Name: Formerly the Bureau of Charities Headquarters
Neighborhood: Downtown Brooklyn
Year Built: 1887
Architectural Style: Romanesque Revival
Architects: William H. Tubby
Landmarked: No
Why chosen: This is an overlooked building on an often overlooked street. William Tubby is considered one of Brooklyn’s finest architects, with his most well known works in Clinton Hill, as oft-time architect to oil magnate Charles Pratt. This building was built as offices and facilities for the Bureau of Charities, the Labor Bureau, and the Union for Christian Works, an influential charity. A main feature of the building was a basement library room for men, and a large third floor library for the general public. Today the building is the Educational Alliance: TEEN AID center.
I lived across the street form this building for years, in 82 Schermerhorn. It killed me when they tore down the old church. I always regretted I never had a chance to see the interior. But I thought this building is also presently a high school for teen parents, enabling them to continue their education.
There are a number of interesting buildings on my old block. MM- how about it? 🙂
thank you Montrose, you are such a resource!
Very interesting to know. thanks.
Minard, it was by another great, Josiah C. Cady, the architect of the old Metropolitan Opera, a wing of the Museum of Natural History, and one of my favorite buildings in Crown Heights, the magnificent Union United Methodist Church on NY Ave at Dean St. This one was built as the German Evangelical Church. I remember it well, and was quite upset that they tore it down for the mediocre building that is there now.
Does anyone know if the lovely old church adjacent to this building (torn down about four years ago) was also by Tubby? the two buildings made a nice ensemble.