Building of the Day: 127-131 Vanderbilt Avenue

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Brick row houses
Address: 127-131 Vanderbilt Avenue, between Myrtle and Park Avenues
Neighborhood: Wallabout
Year Built: 1850
Architectural Style: Italianate
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: Declared a NY State HD in 2011, on National Register of Historic Places. Proposed NYC Historic District.

The story: This block is the heart of the Wallabout District. Between 1830 and until the Civil War, the Wallabout area saw a building boom that made this one of the fastest growing areas in the town of Brooklyn. This was due to several factors, the main being the presence of the Navy Yard, only blocks away, and the concentration of industry along the river. Wallabout was also close to ferry service to Manhattan, enabling someone to work there and commute with relative ease. The area became a comfortable middle class neighborhood, with some of the neighbors doing quite well, as can be seen in houses like these. The area was well situated into the 20th century, with the Myrtle Avenue El train running passengers into downtown Brooklyn. When the El made its last run in 1969, the Wallabout neighborhood became more isolated, hastening the abandonment of the industrial sections, but probably helping to preserve the residential parts of the neighborhood.

There are several styles of Italianate houses on Vanderbilt Avenue alone, plus the other blocks in the proposed historic district. Some are wood frame houses, remarkable for their longevity, and these slightly later brick houses. Both 127 and 131 are in excellent condition, and were probably built at the same time and by the same builder and designer as their neighbor to the right, in 133. That house shares the same details, but is taller, the height seeming to come from higher ceilings on all floors. These two homes are a generous and comfortable 25 feet wide, with floor to almost ceiling arched windows, at the parlor level nicely framed by the front porches. The arched cornices, which are also in excellent shape, mirror the detail on the porches. The hooded window frames are classic Italianate features, as well. I especially like the contrasting colors on both houses; each color scheme works well, and coordinates with the other house.

127, the house on the left, was on this year’s Clinton Hill house tour, and the parlor floor gave a good indication of what these houses looked like originally, with a wide hallway, large parlors with wide plank floors, marble fireplaces and ornate plaster ceiling moldings.