'Berserk Eclecticism' on Clarkson Avenue
One of the great mysteries we’ve encountered on our countless Saturday afternoons trawling the architectural landscape of Brooklyn is the rambling, crumbling house on Clarkson Avenue just off Bedford in Flatbush. We first noticed it one day back in the Fall of 2005 and have revisited on several occasions. But we had no idea about…
One of the great mysteries we’ve encountered on our countless Saturday afternoons trawling the architectural landscape of Brooklyn is the rambling, crumbling house on Clarkson Avenue just off Bedford in Flatbush. We first noticed it one day back in the Fall of 2005 and have revisited on several occasions. But we had no idea about its history until Christopher Gray’s piece in The Times this weekend. The house, built by the brewer Herman Raub in 1902, defies simple stylistic categorization. Here’s what Gray has to say:
Its roof planes are akimbo, like a Cubist avalanche. The front portico lunges out from the complex massing, while an open balcony on the third floor bursts through the roof like a jack-in-the-box. Unlike the neo-Georgian and other conventionally styled houses then popular in the neighborhood, Mr. Raub’s was topped by four-sided domes, pointed towers and jerkin-head gables, where the point of the roof is cut off at a slant.
While the exterior is worse for the ware, the spectacular interior—with its baroque murals, paneled dining room and double-height foyer—are surprisingly intact. Which may help explain the $3.15 million price that the owner for the last two decades is now asking for the house. Can anyone steer us to the listing?
A Fantastical Three-Story Concoction [NY Times] GMAP P*Shark
Top photo by Nicholas Strini for Property Shark
Bottom photo from My Life in Brooklyn
Picture this house with the open porch and its gingebread restored, multi-color slate in a zig-zag pattern on the roof, facade painted in a Victorian color scheme of greens and tans and maroon, a nice “gothik” revival fence in front. To die!
Really, could not be beat. You could even build a new income-producing property in the back and have it pay for itself over time.
All it takes is one person w/vision.
I remember this place being painted purple back in the 70’s
Brenda,
There’s a brass line in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden showing the old boundary between the City of Brooklyn and the Town of Flatbush; PLG is on the Flatbush side. The “Social History of Flatbush” was written by Gertrude Lefferts Vanderbilt, who grew up in the family homestead, moved to Prospect Park in 1918, but originally on what is now Flatbush Ave., between Maple and Midwood Streets.
OTOH, PLG is the only part of Flatbush (other than the Albamarle -Kenmore Terrace HD)that was built with mostly row houses, so it’s natural for renovation-minded homeowners to identify more closely with the other brownstone neighborhoods to the north. Nevertheless, most residents will say they live in Flatbush, if only when they get tired of using the long neighborhood name,or explaining just WHERE PLG is.
FWIW, ONE PLG block, Parkside between Flatbush and Ocean, seems to also fall within the FDC coverage area, but I suspect that most of PLG was left out when FDC was started in 1975 because a neighborhood association with similar goals had been started here several years earlier–I’m not sure though–I was a newcomer then.
Aha, the owner’s eyes may indeed be “FAR, FAR away”, focused on the booty to be made from selling it to a developer…that would explain why he was squirrelly with the reporter. (Or he could just be an insanely greedy/optimistic eccentric.) The sad part is that wacky rotting house-gems in rough neighborhoods should be the last frontier for plucky bottom-feeding fixer-uppers, not chum for condo-building sharks. (Sigh) I guess plucky bottom-feeders have to go to Camden or something now.
As for PLG being “part of Flatbush,” to my knowledge it is not generally considered so in common usage, but I for one welcome them under the big tent.
what a gem just begging for restoration…. would be a shame if developers knocked it down.
Tom–That’s why I said I wasn’t optimistic.
I don’t think the situation would be much better if this house were in “a wealthier, whiter neighborhood.” Unfortunately (not withstanding the recent happy outcome on Lefferts Place in CH) greed trumps preservation MOST of the time.
BTW, PLG is part of Flatbush, which includes many neighborhoods. Clarkson Ave., on PLG’s southern boundary, is in a different ZIP code and planning district from the rest of the neighborhood. I was speaking to the owner of the Clarkson Ave. house on this year’s PLG house tour who told me that she gets mail from the Flatbush Development Corp. asking if she wants to work on the Victorian Flatbush HT, so there may be some confusion about our boundaries. [OMG–is a PLG–Vict.Flatbush border war brewing–keep reading Brownstoner to find out :-)]
Oh, if the area is the pits, then forget it. No one will buy it to restore it then. Too bad. Can it be moved to Ditmas Park? or P.P. South?
I think you are missing what is going on here. This house is being targeted for a developer to buy. The lot is huge (runs the entire block to the street around the corner). The owner uses the back part of the lot as a parking lot. There is a great deal of FAR here and that is why the price is 3.1 million. The house is in PLG and Not Flatbush as the article and Mr. B states.
It is a shame because it is one the most unique homes in all of New York City. I imagine if this house was in a wealthier, whiter neighborhood it would definately be spared.
OMG, what a cool house.
If I moved there I would change my name to Adams.
If it were restored, it would be spectacular. A trophy house for a
rich guy or gal to show off.
Come on, you wealthy architecture lovers, you’re out there. Believe me this would be so much cooler to own than a condo in Tribeca. You would be famous. Organizations would give you awards.
Go for it!