![[Taken at LIHS December 1960.], 1960, v1974.31.230; Long Island Historical Society photographs, v1974.031; Brooklyn Historical Society.](http://brooklynhistory.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bhs_v1974.31.230.jpg)
[Taken at LIHS December 1960.], 1960, v1974.31.230; Long Island Historical Society photographs, v1974.031; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Interested in seeing more photographs from BHS’s collection? Visit our online image gallery which includes a selection of our images. To search our entire collection of images, visit BHS Othmer Library Wed-Fri 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Welcome to Renovation Report, the first installment in a monthly series of blog posts to provide progress reports on Brooklyn Historical Society’s (BHS) current renovation and to highlight the fascinating features of our landmark building. Designed by architect George Post and opened in 1881, Brooklyn Historical Society’s building was ahead of its time, and will be once again.
BHS trustees and staff view the ceiling restoration of the ground floor event space
BHS is midway through construction to renovate the first floor and lower level. We are thrilled to see physical changes unfold! We remain OPEN during this construction period, and the new spaces are slated to open in fall 2013 in conjunction with the launch of BHS’s 150th anniversary celebrations. We want to let you know what’s happening, what to expect, share some of the amazing architectural details of our building, and give you an insider’s view into the behind-the-scenes work that is underway.
The newly configured spaces will include 2,200 square feet of new galleries for exhibitions and create a classroom for student and teacher programs. We are also restoring the historic entrance to the building and will provide an exciting, new welcome desk and Brooklyn specific gift shop. These updates will improve visitor flow through the building with better ADA access. Central to the project is enlivening our main event space for public programs and space rentals by restoring the space to the full breadth of the original auditorium. It will once again accommodate up to 200 people seated, highlight the detailed wood ceiling with updated lighting, and offer a fully equipped audio-visual system. All of these changes to the building modernize the spaces for current and future use while respecting the magnificence of our landmark building. View the new designs here.
Cross-section of the newly designed spaces on BHS’s first floor and lower level
Please check back next month for the latest update. Or view the whole series in our blog category, Landmark Building.
Patricia had a great post recently discussing Brooklyn architecture and architects materials among the Historical Society’s collections. Brooklyn was once characterized as “the city of homes and churches” and while Patricia’s post certainly pointed out some examples of homes and commercial buildings exemplifying a portion of the range of Brooklyn’s architecture, I wanted to focus on a specific instance of the latter half of that characterization with a great example of Brooklyn’s church architecture in our collections. While working on the records of the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn I was fortunate enough to get a good look at the detailed plans of the Church of the Saviour. Sitting almost directly across the street from Brooklyn Historical Society’s building on Pierrepont Street, the Church of the Saviour was completed in 1844 and is now the oldest church building in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood.
Church of the Saviour exterior, photo by Todd Florio for Historical Marker Database (http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=33726)
The First Unitarian Congregational Society at first tried to secure Richard Upjohn as their architect. Upjohn was already making a name for himself with his work on the new Trinity Church in Manhattan and would go on to be famous for his work, particularly on churches in the Gothic Revival style and in founding the American Institute of Architects. Upjohn, however, required a $1,000 fee for services even before submitting any plans (perhaps due to his bias against the Unitarian faith). The First Church went back to reviewing plans offered by architects and settled on the designs submitted by Minard Lafever. While later known for his pattern books on the Greek Revival style, Lafever deserves to be mentioned alongside Upjohn as one of the hands behind the spread and influence of Gothic Revival architecture in America’s 1840’s-1850’s, particularly in New York and Brooklyn. The design of the Church of the Saviour is proof in itself of Lafever’s fine work in this style.
Design of Church of the Saviour by Minard Lefever. First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, ARC.109, Brooklyn Historical Society
Design of Church of the Saviour by Minard Lefever. First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, ARC.109, Brooklyn Historical Society
Lafever designed other buildings which were eventually landmarked around New York City including the Church of the Holy Apostles in Manhattan and the Greek Revival styled buildings at Sailors’ Snug Harbor in Staten Island. In Brooklyn (and still remaining within the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood) there are two more buildings that Lafever designed which showcase his work in the Gothic Revival style and its influence on the area. One is the St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church on Montague Street and the other is his final commission, the Packer Collegiate Institute building on Joralemon Street.
St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church interior, photo by Craig P. Savino
Packer Collegiate Institute, photo by Craig P. Savino
The original plans of the Church of the Saviour show the hand of this important architect at work. I particularly liked how these original plans included notations, variations, and comments on materials. It at once reveals Lefever’s mind at work, suggestions from others, and the involved process of constructing this beautiful church.
detail of design of Church of the Saviour by Minard Lefever. First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, ARC.109, Brooklyn Historical Society
Cross section of design of Church of the Saviour with notations on design and materials by Minard Lefever. First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, ARC.109, Brooklyn Historical Society
Layout of pews from designs of Church of the Saviour by Minard Lefever. First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, ARC.109, Brooklyn Historical Society
By the early 20th Century the congregation had grown to a point that they could further beautify the Church of the Saviour with the addition of stained glass windows designed by Tiffany studios with some of them designed by Louis C. Tiffany himself (alas, I could not get photos of the windows that do them justice, but Brownstoner has a decent shot of the windows from the exterior).
Correspondence from Tiffany Studios for renovation and repair of Tiffany Windows, 1934. First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, ARC.109, Brooklyn Historical Society
Within the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, these plans of Lefever’s and documents on the buildings and renovations exist alongside other documents that fill this architecture with the life and work of the First Unitarian Church in Brooklyn. The collection contains lists and ledgers of the owners and renters of these pews which includes the names of many prominent Brooklynites like Alfred T. White, the Low family, the Pierrepont family, and many others. The collection also contains orders of service and sermons delivered within the church and non-ecumenical work carried on by the congregational outside the walls of the Church of the Saviour.
List of original owners of the pews of the Church of the Saviour, including Brooklyn shipping magnate Abiel Abbott Low. First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, ARC.109, Brooklyn Historical Society
Order of service and handwritten sermon delivered by John Lathrop, 1914. First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records, ARC.109, Brooklyn Historical Society
If you’d like to learn more about Brooklyn architecture, I would recommend you follow the suggestions Patricia made in her post. If you would like to learn more about the Church of the Saviour, the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn, and the collection of records we have for Unitarianism at Brooklyn Historical Society, check out the postings on Emma, our catablog, in regards to the First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn records and the Women’s Alliance of the First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn records both of which also have linked finding aids.
As part of the CLIR team surveying the archival, manuscript, and photography collections at BHS, we’ve come across several collections that document either iconic Brooklyn architecture or local Brooklyn architects. With the recent conclusion of the 8th annual Open House New York, I’ve been thinking about architecture, the multitude of buildings I encounter everyday, and my relationship with them. From the Hotel St. George where the subway lets me out in the morning, to the George B. Post landmarked building I work in at BHS, to the sprawling Concord Village I walk past everyday on my way to the Manhattan Bridge pedestrian walkway, I am in constant interaction with buildings. Buildings can be destinations, hindrances, or points of reference. They can be beautiful or ugly, memorable or forgettable, historic or everyday.
Not only does Brooklyn have iconic buildings such as the towering Art Deco skyscraper, the Williamsburgh Savings Bank building in Fort Greene or the once grandiose destination, the Hotel St. George in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn neighborhoods have their own unique architectural styles. If someone tells you they live in Fort Greene or Park Slope, you picture rows and rows of brownstones. If you try to describe Red Hook, you can’t do it justice without including both the waterfront red brick industrial factories-turned-artist spaces and lofts, as well the vast housing project, the Red Hook Houses, that are home to over 75% of all the residents of Red Hook. Greenpoint? Vinyl-sided railroad apartments. Williamsburg? The Domino Sugar Factory. Ditmas Park? Candy-colored Victorians.
Our architectural archival collections here at BHS reflect Brooklyn’s architectural diversity. The Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, 1 Hanson Place collection (ARC.116) documents one of the most iconic landmarks in Brooklyn. Our photographic collection captures before, during, and post-construction of the second tallest building in Brooklyn, 1927-1929.
Williamsburgh Savings Bank building site, before construction, 1927. Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, 1 Hanson Place collection, ARC.116, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (2006.001.1.02).
Williamsburgh Savings Bank building site, after demolition, 1927. Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, 1 Hanson Place collection, ARC.116, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (2006.001.1.05).
Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, during construction, circa 1927. Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, 1 Hanson Place collection, ARC.116, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (2006.001.1.09).
Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, finishing the tower, 1928. Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, 1 Hanson Place collection, ARC.116, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (2006.001.1.12).
Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, near completion, 1928. Williamsburgh Savings Bank building, 1 Hanson Place collection, ARC.116, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (2006.001.1.15).
The Hotel St. George collection (ARC.100) includes historic picture postcards that make you wish you could have been there when. The hotel, located in Brooklyn Heights, once had the largest indoor salt water swimming pool and the largest banquet room in the world.
Postcard of Hotel St. George, circa 1930. Hotel St. George collection, ARC.100, Brooklyn Historical Society Postcard Collection (V1989.30.11).
Postcard of the natural salt water swimming pool at the Hotel St. George, circa 1940. Hotel St. George collection, ARC.100, Brooklyn Historical Society Postcard Collection (V1989.30.14).
William Thomas McCarthy (d. 1952) was a Brooklyn architect whose designs included large-scale apartment buildings such as the Cathedral Arms Apartments and the Chateau Frontenac Apartments in Flatbush; some of the last single-family homes built in Park Slope; and some of the most iconic housing projects in New York City, all of which are located in Brooklyn. He co-designed four of the seven buildings of Concord Village (1958, finished after McCarthy died), the Red Hook Houses (1939), and the Gowanus Houses (1949). All of the buildings below still stand today.
The Cathedral Arms Apartments and the Chateau Frontenac Apartments are located in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn and were built circa 1930.
Exterior view of the Cathedral Arms Apartments, circa 1930. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.11).
Exterior view of the Chateau Frontenac Apartments, circa 1930. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.15).
McCarthy designed some of the last single-family homes in Park Slope, circa 1920. The homes below are located along Prospect Park West. The driveways were included in the original designs and are still a very unique aspect of Brooklyn architecture.
Exterior view of single-family homes in Park Slope, circa 1920. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.30).
Concord Village is located on the border of the Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn neighborhoods. McCarthy co-designed four of the seven buildings with Italian born architect Rosario Candela (1890-1953). The building complex was completed in phases and was finished after McCarthy died.
Aerial view of Concord Village, circa 1930. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.22).
The rendering below shows an idealized vision of Concord Village. The delineator was Arthur Frappier.
Photograph of rendering of Concord Village, circa 1930. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.19).
The Gowanus Houses (1949) and Red Hook Houses (1939) are prominent parts of the Brooklyn architectural landscape and of Brooklyn architectural history. It’s very rare to read about who designed our large-scale housing projects throughout the city. Today, former and current residents of the Gowanus Houses are creating their own archive of the buildings and the people who live in them on a Facebook page Gowanus Houses Forever, Bklyn, NY. Below are images that help tell the story of the original vision for the housing projects.
Photograph of a model of the Gowanus Houses, circa 1950. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.5).
Photograph of a rendering of the Red Hook Houses, circa 1930. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.18 a,b).
Photograph of a rendering of the Red Hook Houses, circa 1930. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.28).
Photograph of the Red Hook Houses, circa 1940. William T. McCarthy collection, ARC.059, Brooklyn Historical Society Photograph Collection (V1990.70.19).
If you’re looking to do architectural research on your house, building, block, or neighborhood, the Library and Archives staff at BHS has made it easy for you with the House and Building Research at BHS. Or, if you want an in-depth guide to Brooklyn architecture, the BHS staff has curated a selection of books that are available through the BHS Virtual Bookstore.
Luna Park, Coney Island ca 1910; LOC Flickr The Commons
Learn how walking tours helped pave the way for the Landmarks Law of 1965.
Historian and journalist Francis Morrone, author of The Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn, discusses the history of the walking tour. Learn how the first walking tours in the 1950s sponsored by The Municipal Art Society, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Brooklyn Heights Association made the public aware of the city’s historic architecture.
Mr. Morrone discusses the European background of the New York walking tour, the pioneering uses of walking tours by architectural historians such as Henry Hope Reed, Clay Lancaster and Margot Gayle, and Morrone’s own experiences as a leader of some 1,500 walking tours.
Listen here:
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