1024 Fulton St. BUG CB, PS

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Former Brooklyn Union Gas Showroom
Address: 1024 Fulton Street
Cross Streets: Grand and Classon Avenues
Neighborhood: Clinton Hill
Year Built: 1912
Architectural Style: Early 20th century warehouse
Architect: Unnamed staff architect at Brooklyn Union Gas
Landmarked: No

The story: Brooklyn Union Gas was organized in the last decade of the 19th century, the merger of seven of the largest gas companies operating in Brooklyn. The new company was incorporated in 1895, and James Jourdan, a former military officer was named the president.

By 1910, business was booming, and they needed a much larger headquarters. The Frank Freeman designed Brooklyn Union Gas Building was completed at 176 Remsen Street in 1912.

About the same time, James H. Jourdan, the son of the first president, and now current president, realized that the utility’s greatest growth was in getting new customers for domestic as well as industrial gas use. People needed to see what gas could do. The company began partnering with appliance companies and industrial manufacturers to develop new gas-powered gadgets, appliances and machinery.

Taking a big cue from retail, BUG established showrooms in all of its facilities. The Remsen St. headquarters originally housed both domestic and industrial showrooms on its first floor, but there wasn’t nearly enough room there for either.

Brooklyn Union Gas Ad. 1913. Brooklyn Eagle
Brooklyn Union Gas Ad. 1913. Brooklyn Eagle

A new domestic showroom was established in downtown Brooklyn, on Livingston Street, and in 1912, Jourdan commissioned his staff architects to build a warehouse type building on Fulton Street that would house the industrial showroom. The building was built on the site of an old and long forgotten wood-framed mansion.

1887 map, New York Public Library
1887 map, New York Public Library

The new facility opened for business in December of 1912. This was known as the Nassau Office and in addition to the industrial showrooms, BUG also stored equipment and dispatched repair trucks from this location. But the showroom here was the main event in the building.

New dispatch repair truck. Photo: Brooklyn Eagle, 1924
New dispatch repair truck. Photo: Brooklyn Eagle, 1924

Gas started out as illumination, but by the end of the 19th century, manufacturers had begun to develop all of the gas appliances we now take for granted. Cooking ranges and stoves were the most important, on the domestic end, but there were also water heaters, toasters, and steam irons. BUG arranged demonstrations and classes at their Livingston St. showroom.

Brooklyn Union Gas Ad. Brooklyn Eagle, 1916
Brooklyn Union Gas Ad. Brooklyn Eagle, 1916

On the industrial end, all kinds of industries were now powering their generators with gas, moving away from, or augmenting their use of coal. This showroom was full of large pieces of equipment that could be tailored for manufacturing use.

Large generators, heating tanks, engines and other equipment were on display here. The company had a full staff of engineers who could explain the technical applications, and put together a complete package for all kinds of plants and factories. It really was brilliant marketing.

1915 Brooklyn Union Gas Ad in Brooklyn Eagle
1915 Brooklyn Union Gas Ad in Brooklyn Eagle
Industrial Showroom, showing dynamo. 1912. Photo: Museum of the City of New York
Industrial Showroom, showing dynamo. 1912. Photo: Museum of the City of New York

The industrial showroom was actually too successful. They needed more room, and by 1925, they had moved back to 180 Remsen Street, next door to their headquarters.

This building continued to store equipment and handle repair calls, and take care of other business until 1934. They then sold or leased the building to Goodwill Industries.

Goodwill operated from here for over 20 years. Their main headquarters was on nearby DeKalb Avenue, but this location was a warehouse and sorting station for their donated goods. They also held classes here, teaching sewing, electronics and furniture repair and other skills.

In 1953, the organization’s headquarters moved here, as well. Interestingly, they also referred to the building as the “Edison Building,” even though it was actually the Brooklyn Union Gas building. Perhaps Con Ed or an Edison family member purchased the building for them. I wasn’t able to find any evidence, yay or nay.

Goodwill also moved on, selling the building to Siloam Presbyterian Church in 1967. In 1971, they sold it to the Opportunity Industrial Center, a job training center aimed at training inner city people in skilled industrial trades. An article in a local African American newspaper in 1973 followed the career of a housewife who became an electrician through the program.

OIC seems to have lost the building in 1983, and the City has had it ever since. The early 1980s tax photo shows it still in fine shape and functioning as something. However in the interim years, it was abandoned.

1980s tax photo: Municipal Archives
1980s tax photo: Municipal Archives

In 1997, the Office of Children and Family Services bought the building, intending to open a facility here. However, serious structural issues caused a Stop Work Order, and they gave up, sealing the building and boarding up the windows. It’s been boarded up ever since.

In 2011, the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, a private nursing home facility, purchased the building and secured $9 million to tear it down and build a nursing home. They had an option until 2013 to act. It didn’t happen.

In 2014, the option was picked up by the Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation. They will be building a new facility on this location with affordable housing for the elderly and veterans. Their proposal was passed by the State Legislature in 2014.

This part of Fulton Street is changing rapidly, and will look nothing like it does now in five years. I’ll have one more historical look here tomorrow.

Above photograph:Christopher Bride for PropertyShark

Photo: Google Maps
Photo: Google Maps

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