Determining Year Built?
We just closed on a brownstone in Cobble Hill, and I was wondering if there are any definitive resources out there for determining when a building was first built. Any suggestions?
We just closed on a brownstone in Cobble Hill, and I was wondering if there are any definitive resources out there for determining when a building was first built. Any suggestions?
If your house isn’t in the Cobble Hill HD Designation report and you think a trip to the Muni Archives or DOB would be too daunting a task, you could get a good idea of the year your house was built from two other somewhat indirect sources:
1. Look at platt maps for your area and see the first year that shows a structure on your lot
2. Look at Brooklyn City Directories to determine the earliest year an inhabitant is listed
Both resources are available at the library of the Brooklyn Historical Society [or, at least, they were there when I researched my house, although that was back when it was still the LIHS].
You can also trace the title history at City Register in Brooklyn muni bldg, but it takes some detective work and smart inferences to figure out when the house was constructed on the property.
Check also actions on DOB website if there is a NB action then that is the year built.
Otherwise, you can check the following:
I-cards – Available online
Municipal archives (Citywide) – 51 Chambers Street first floor, Manhattan
Property card -Boro asessment office – Brooklyn: 210 Joralemon Street second floor
Block and Lot folders will usually also have this onformation of retrievable from DOB. Brooklyn: 210 Joralemon room 816 on 8th floor.
Thanks! Just looked it up. Really helpful. Looks like ours was built in the 1850s.
If you are in the Cobble Hill historic district, it is simple. Look up your address in the Landmarks Commission’s Cobble Hill designation report, it will give you the build date as well as other information. You can look that up on line on the LPC website. click on designation reports.
If you are not in the historic district you will need to do research but in general, a knowledgable person such as Montrose, or to a lesser extent, myself, can give you an approximate date just by looking at the stylistic features of the facade. Most of the area was built within a 40-year period (1845-1885) so it is not that difficult.