Building of the Day: 1 Spencer Place

(Photo: Property Shark)

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Row House
Address: 1 Spencer Place, corner of Hancock Street
Neighborhood: Bedford Stuyvesant
Year Built: 1874
Architectural Style: Second Empire
Architect: Unknown, built by George Vaughn
Landmarked: No

The story: Spencer Place was developed as a very desirable, out of the way, one block enclave bisecting a large plot of land between Hancock and Fulton Streets. Much of it was owned by the Spencer family, hence the name. The rowhouse part of both sides of the block was developed in the 1870’s, and is made up of large Neo-Grec and Second Empire rowhouses, as well as some later brick tenements as you approach Fulton Street. The developer and builder of this, and many others on the block, was George Vaughn. In 1872, a minister and speaker named Dr. Henry Scudder built his church, the Central Congregational Church, practically at the head of this block on Hancock Street, where the schoolyard is now. He joined the list of influential and popular orators like Henry Beecher, Dr. Tallmadge and Dr. Cuyler, men who were the pastors of the mega-churches of their day. Spencer Place was right at the heart of this successful gathering place. There was even a motion in the city council to change the name of Spencer Place to Scudder Place, in 1874, but the mayor at the time turned it down. There are pages of ads in the Brooklyn Eagle advertising properties on this block, many touting its location near the Scudder church. The block, over time, was home to various successful people in the merchant and business classes, and more ads are listed looking for various kinds of servants, and several social register entries. Number 1 Spencer, and its mirror image across the street, number 2, the corner houses, are the largest houses in this group, both 5 stories, 22 x45 feet in size. Both have lost their stoops, but are still handsome houses, with attractive double bays on the sides, and very nice dormers and mansard details. There is a pleasing transition of materials, with a brownstone front, with brownstone quoins at the side, leading the eye around to corner to a brick façade, but with brownstone trim. The green paint of the bays is the color of patinated copper, and provides a very period look on the streetscape.

Over the years, this block has suffered its share of urban ills, and perhaps because of its isolation, was ignored to death. There are several vacant lots on this block, especially near Fulton Street, and many of the buildings are in need of repair and restoration. In the mid 1970’s, this house was boarded up, and looked ready for the wrecking ball. But in 1991, it was completely restored as affordable housing, and brought back to life. Its mirror across the street was also restored in a similar manner by HPD, but has more units than this building does. Today, some of the other buildings on this block are seeing great improvement, and there is even a successful Bed and Breakfast in the middle of the block, at 15 Spencer Place.

(Photo: Property Shark)