Building of the Day: 309-311 Crown 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: 309-311 Crown Street, between Nostrand and New York Avenues Name: Private houses Neighborhood: Crown Heights South 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: 309-311 Crown Street, between Nostrand and New York Avenues
Name: Private houses
Neighborhood: Crown Heights South
Year Built: 1923
Architectural Style: Neo-Mediterranean
Architects: Unknown
Landmarked: No
Why chosen: Here’s another example of Crown Heights South’s early 20th century housing. There are several pairs of these Mediterranean style brick houses on this side of Crown, between Nostrand and New York. They have two stories and a basement, and are a wide and spacious 23.5 x 80, and have garages behind them. These may have been built as two-families originally, but they are are all listed as four families now. Echoing the commercial buildings of the same era going up along Nostrand and other commercial strips, these houses have interesting brick work, with contrasting keystones, and Mediterranean tile door hoods, and a small front patio area. Although not what most think of when imagining our brownstone neighborhoods, these houses are another step in the evolution of urban row housing in Brooklyn, and are found in many other areas of Brooklyn, as well as other boroughs.
I’ve always found this style to be ugly imo. Just my opinion of course, so not worth diddlysquat.
buildings are lovely but could most definitely use some sprucing up in the way of curbside appeal.
i like these. 2 stories, brick, basement, garage. actually very usable and the front is attractive. agree that they are very UK.
went to a halloween party once in one of these… ginormous 3 couples were sharing built out basement garage in back etc. bought for 275
benson, yes of course, the nest reading is from Arthur Miller in his old house. I really tickled people’s fancy with that. Funny.
these are nice looking buildings, but would look so much better with a big old leafy tree on the street.
I agree with Minard. I believe the inspiration for these buildings come from the UK, as Ditto implied above.
(Minard – now that I agreed with you, you think you can get an invitation for me to the next reading in BH??).
Oh, also, the Montauk Club is generally identified as Venetian Gothic, which is more northern Adriatic than Mediterranean. Nu?
tyburg: There is very little that is Mediterranean about these buildings except the tiny tile roof, which in the Mediterranean would be a huge tile roof with deep eaves. This is more Liverpool than Barcelona but nonetheless they are interesting for their nice brickwork and welcoming entries. They are probably very nicely laid out inside. The ugly replacement windows don’t help the look.