Little Left of Greek Revival Wood Frame Once Home to BookCourt in Cobble Hill

While the quaint and historic storefront that stood at 161 Court Street is now gone, replaced with a new, modern one, it had been hard to see what was happening with the rare Greek Revival wood frame building next door at 163 Court Street.

Both were once home to BookCourt, which closed in December 2016. The owners sold 161 and 163 Court Street to Eastern Capital for $13.6 million.

Recently, some of the scaffolding has come down and a closer look is now available. Not that much work appears to be done — you can see part of each floor framed out, but that’s about it. What’s clear, though, is that little remains of the top two floors.

The building will eventually have a vertical addition as well as a rear one, nearly doubling the height of the previous building. It’s likely that the storefront will, like its neighbor, be replaced by a modern one.

The three-story wooden home and store was likely built between 1842 and 1850, according to a report by Columbia University preservation graduate student Mayssa Jallad. One of the few remaining wood frames of its age in the area — and possibly the only one built as a store — it was in remarkably good condition and contained a wealth of historic detail inside and out.

Related Stories

• Modern Storefront Replaces Historic One in Cobble Hill, Former Home of BookCourt
• Former BookCourt Home Slated for Development Is Historically Significant, Research Reveals
• New Owners Expand Quaint Stores That Housed Beloved Cobble Hill Bookstore BookCourt

Email tips@brownstoner.com with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.