House of the Day: 1375 Dean Street

The only-known freestanding, mid-nineteenth-century, wood country house remaining in north-
western Crown Heights and the former home of a prominent figure in the neighborhood’s history, the
George B. and Susan Elkins House is located at 1375 Dean Street in the northwestern Crown Heights
section of Brooklyn. George B. Elkins was a prominent figure in the neighborhood’s early history, a
professional broker who was actively involved in the real estate trade of what would become
northwestern Crown Heights.

The two-and-one-half story house, cubical in form, with a flat roof and wide front porch was
constructed between 1855 and 1869 on the former Lefferts farm. This modest residence predates the
hundreds of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century row houses, flats, and apartment buildings
that fill its surrounding blocks. The defining characteristics of the George B. and Susan Elkins House
include its wide front porch, floor-length parlor windows, and dramatic, deeply overhanging
cornices, which were typical features of mid-nineteenth-century country houses. The house features a
three-bay main façade, flat roof, molded entrance-door surround, and attic windows with delicate
cusped surrounds, as well as a broadly overhanging and beautifully detailed wood cornice decorated
with bead-and-reel moldings.

The landmark site is located in an R6 zoning district. With an allowable floor area ratio (FAR)
of 2.43, the zoning lot could be developed with approximately 13,902 square feet of floor area.
The George B. and Susan Elkins House contains approximately 3,900 square feet of floor area.
Therefore, there are approximately 10,002 square feet of floor area theoretically available for
transfer.

Pursuant to Section 74-79 of the Zoning Resolution, a landmark building may transfer its unused
development rights to a lot contiguous to the zoning lot occupied by the landmark or one which
is across the street and opposite to the lot occupied by the landmark building, or in the case of a
corner lot, one which fronts on the same street intersection as the lot occupied by the landmark.

There are approximately nine receiving sites available for the transfer of the landmark’s unused
floor area.

All landmark buildings or buildings within Historic Districts are eligible to apply for use and
bulk waivers pursuant to Section 74-711 of the Zoning Resolution.

There are no projected public improvements or plans for development, growth, improvement or
renewal in the vicinity of the subject landmark.

jeez get over it
its not that charming

u guys try too hard

Oh, look, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn!
It is lovely and a steal at 799+.
Plus, a great porch and front yard.
But, if Adrian Grenier were to buy it, would he not live here too?

If we didn’t have landmarking, the only historic buildings we would have left would be the mansions of the rich, and even most of those are already gone. Landmarking is not a perfect operation, but the alternative is a bland, uninspiring city of ticky tacky buildings and indifferent architecture.

This house needs a wealthy and dedicated preservationist to restore it to its glory, regardless of its cost or resale value. A labor of love, for sure. It was saved, literally at the last minute, and is the oldest house in Crown Heights.

This block is an architectural melange, with really nice brownstones, limestones, and semidetached brick homes all along both sides of the block. Many of the limestones are of the English basement variety, and in combination with the stooped houses, and a couple of gorgeous semidetached brick houses, make up an interesting block. This house is sandwiched into the middle of the block. It’s hard to imagine it once looked out onto fields. It definitely should be preserved and restored. I wish I had the money.