Building of the Day: 69 Cornelia Street

Brooklyn, one building at a time.

Name: Two family house
Address: 69 Cornelia Street
Cross Streets: Bushwick and Evergreen Avenues
Neighborhood: Bushwick
Year Built: after 1890, before 1907
Architectural Style: Renaissance Revival
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: No

The story: The architectural legacy of Bushwick is just now being mapped. For too long, the consensus was that this area had its day in the sun, back in the second half of the 19th century, but there was nothing left here, after the economic devastation caused by riots, abandonment and poverty. That’s so not true. There is so much here to save and protect, as well as re-use and revitalize. Take this building, for instance.

It sits across the street from an impressive mansion, and next door to a fine painted lady, both BOTD’s here in the past, but it can hold its own, as well. This 25×100 foot building was built as a two family house. It’s a handsome building, of light colored brick with sandstone trim, built when Bushwick was a German-American neighborhood of successful merchants, manufacturers and brewers. The style places it rather late in the neighborhoods development, and it’s rather austere, even for Renaissance Revival. But it’s really well made, with first quality materials, and a rich simplicity. The rough cut band coursing, which blends into the capstone lintels, carry the lines horizontally, while the fine entryway, with acanthus leaf brackets, and a dentiled pediment are really well done. There’s also a fine cornice above, in great shape.

In spite of an intensive investigation by the Columbia University grad students from the Historic Preservation Program, who chronicled the architectural legacy of Bushwick, as seen in this excellent website, no other information could be found on this building. The architectural records are lost. No one famous or infamous lived here, and nothing newsworthy happened here. It’s a tantalizing mystery. Were there more of these buildings around, or was this really well done infill, a one of a kind solution for an empty lot? Who built it, and who was it built for? What happened to it over the years? It seems to have been bought recently, and will be rehabbed. I hope they keep the generous proportions of a two family. A 25’ wide building is rare and quite comfortable in scale. I really like this little forgotten gem. GMAP

Update: my picture was taken last year, and the rehab of the building is now complete. Unfortunately, they chose to put in a Home Depot door, filling in the frame to make it fit. Other than that, it looks pretty good.