Building of the Day: 792 Flushing Avenue
Brooklyn, one building at a time. Name: Originally the Blade Building Address: 792 Flushing Avenue Cross Streets: Corner of Sumner Place Neighborhood: Bushwick Year Built: 1892 Architectural Style: Renaissance Revival Architect: Unknown Landmarked: No The story: A stone’s throw away from Woodhull Hospital, and next door to the new Sumner Hotel, sits a fine loft…

Brooklyn, one building at a time.
Name: Originally the Blade Building
Address: 792 Flushing Avenue
Cross Streets: Corner of Sumner Place
Neighborhood: Bushwick
Year Built: 1892
Architectural Style: Renaissance Revival
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: No
The story: A stone’s throw away from Woodhull Hospital, and next door to the new Sumner Hotel, sits a fine loft building that straddles the wide angle of the intersection of Flushing Avenue and Sumner Place. It’s a bit grubby now, as a century of Brooklyn dirt and pollution have settled into the terra cotta and brick ornament and the signage from the dentist’s office on the ground floor is a bit too eye-catching, but underneath it all lies the Blade Building.
The Brooklyn Blade was a weekly Brooklyn newspaper, founded in 1881 by Charles Schaefer and his brother, Jacob and perhaps also brothers Theodore and John. In 1884 Henry Reed Stiles, the turn of the 20th century Brooklyn historian, called the Blade a, “spicy little, four-page, one-cent paper, published weekly by H. Weinrauch & Brother, at 601 and 603 Bushwick avenue, and claiming a circulation of 12,000…The Blade keeps fully abreast of all that is of interest in art, literature and society, treating pithily and frankly all subjects in all fields of culture and taste.”
The Schaefer boys were Brooklyn born and raised, their father, Valentine, had been in charge of two local railroad depots, one at Myrtle Avenue, then at Marcy Avenue. By the time Charles and his brothers were of age, they were running all of the newspaper concessions at the stations, and had an exclusive to sell newspapers in the street cars. They were quite successful, and were dubbed “the newsboy merchants” by some of their peers. They then decided to go into the newspaper business themselves, coming up with the Blade, which was circulated in the Williamsburg area. Henry Weinrauch, their publisher, was also a step-brother.
By 1890, their business had grown to the point where they needed to expand, and in 1892, this lofts building was completed and dubbed “the Blade Building.” I was not able to find the architect, unfortunately. Charles Schaefer not only worked here, he lived here as well until he died here of pneumonia at the age of 47, in 1914. He had been a lifelong bachelor and left the business to his brothers. He was a Mason, and also belonged to many of the area’s German-American clubs. His funeral was at St. Mark’s German Lutheran Church. The Blade published until 1918.
At some point, although I couldn’t find if it was when the Schaefer’s were there, or afterward, the building was also home to the Gersan Solomonwitz & Max Schwartz Company, which were men’s pants manufacturers. They were only listed in the early 1900s. The building has had factory or warehouse use ever since. The ground floor, which housed the Blade’s offices, has been a bodega and other retail businesses, as well. Today, it’s a dentist’s office. Upstairs seems to be residential or at least artist’s studios.
It’s a fine Renaissance Revival golden brick building, with a bit of a Venetian flare, although much of the details are lost in the soot. I especially like the details along the roofline, the decorative peaked roof line, and the roped terra-cotta brick trim down the building where it meets the intersection of the two streets, and basket weave terra-cotta trim. I’m really surprised I couldn’t find any trace of its architect or builder. It looks similar to work designed by Peter J. Lauritzen, but couldn’t find proof, yea or nay. Hopefully someone will give the building a good power wash and cleaning. Let’s bring this forgotten gem called the Blade Building back to life. GMAP
(Photo: Christopher Bride for Property Shark)

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