Building of the Day: 430-432 Grand Avenue

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Semi-attached frame houses
Address: 430-432 Grand Avenue
Cross Streets: Gates and Putnam Avenues
Neighborhood: Clinton Hill
Year Built: 1860s
Architectural Style: Second Empire
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: Yes, part of Clinton Hill HD (1981)

The story: This block of Grand Avenue is a patchwork quilt of buildings and styles, making it most interesting to walk down. There are classic Italianate and Neo-Grec brownstones, later Romanesque Revival brownstones, pre-war apartment buildings; and the most charming of all, a scattered collection of pre-brownstone clapboard and/or stucco-covered wood frame houses. The stucco covered houses are on the Gates end of the block, but down near Putnam are three pre-war beauties. Pre-Civil War, that is.

Today we feature two twin houses, 430 and 432 Grand Avenue. They are vernacular houses, built by builders working from local traditions and plans, not houses designed by architects. In this case, the houses are variations on the French Second Empire style, with slate covered mansard roofs, Italianate doors and windows, and deep porches. Great looking houses, perhaps the most notable on the block.

430 first belonged to merchant Julius W. Brunn, and 432 first belonged to bank teller LaRue Stockton. (A teller, back in the day, was a prestigious position at a bank, not a low level entry job. He was entrusted with not only the bank’s money, but a customer’s financial history.)

In 2007, number 432, on the left, was a mess, and featured here on Brownstoner, as it was being totally redone, inside and out. See below for the links. Today, what a difference a lot of money, expertise, and work makes. The exteriors of the houses look very much as they originally did when the first owners took possession. Today, 432 is still a one family, and 430 is a two. The restoration looks like a good job. GMAP

Inside the Grand Avenue Haunted House [Brownstoner]
Gutting Begins at Grand Avenue Haunted House [Brownstoner]
Grand Avenue Haunted House Gets its Siding [Brownstoner]