1. Dyker Heights (Christmas Decoration)
Dyker Heights is the place to see all kinds of Christmas decor; from trashy to classy, understated elegance and outright cheesy. Some people in this area of Brooklyn start the process of lighting as early as the day after Halloween, though many reserve the day after Thanksgiving to initiate the neighborhood display. The neighborhood stretches from 11th Avenue to 13th Avenue, and from 83rd Street to 86th Street. It’s a lengthy commute; if you take the subway the D and M trains will take you to 18th Avenue, where you are dropped off about a mile away from the main light show.
For out-of-towners, and even locals, it is best to go on a guided tour called “A Slice of Brooklyn's Christmas Lights and Cannoli”. From November 30th to December 30th you can enjoy a leisurely three and a half hour trip from Manhattan to Brooklyn, including Dyker Heights. An old fashioned tour, this group provides hot cocoa and a cannoli for the road.
Some of the houses hire ‘ringers’ to professionally decorate their house, trying to one-up their neighbor. It is a friendly competition which encourages neighborhood pride. Be prepared for the snow and cold by wearing some good snow boots, or if you are renting a car; expect slow stop-and-go traffic. The best time to go is mid December when everyone is pretty much ready and done with decorating. Between 5 pm and 9 pm is the best timeframe to go since there is a neighborhood ordinance that restricts late night light shows. Some houses have LED lights that synch up with music, which is played by a radio station people can tune into via their car stereo.
Greenpoint
2. Astral Apartments
The condo complex known as Astral Apartments is a protected historic building in Greenpoint Brooklyn. This is allegedly the birthplace of Mae West, the legendary black and white film star. Named for the Astral oil which was used to light lamps in Tibet, Astral Apartments was the pet project of Charles Pratt to house his workers at his company; Astral Oil. The Pratt family was also responsible for the founding of Pratt Institute in the Clinton Hill neighborhood. It is among New York’s most well known art schools.
The front facade takes up all of Franklin Street. This structure houses over one hundred apartment units. The three sided bay windows are definitive of the building style, creating arched convex spaces that soar to the fifth floor. In the center are courtyards to allow for natural sunlight in most all apartments.
Built between 1885 and 1886, this was one of the first business owned employee housing that was also planned as affordable housing. In the Queen Anne Style, the facade features terra cotta and the roof displays beautifully executed gargoyles. The design was inspired by the work of George Peabody who built similar apartment buildings in London during this era. In 1982 this structure was given a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
3. Only one remained Wooden-blocked sidewalk (Between Milton and Oak Streets)
Among many relics forgotten in the outer boroughs is West Street’s rare woodblock sidewalks. Saved from fire and decay, they have actually held up quite well. Instead of turning to mulch over time, they have hardened and dried out, making a beautiful mosaic in shades of weathered grays. You will find this sidewalk near Oak Street in Greenpoint, along the old Greenpoint Terminal Market, which is facing condemnation and a complete tear down. This terminal faced the East River, with western views from Greenpoint’s shoreline.
Also close by is a rare relic from GE; a scoop-type lamp post (called a ‘luminaire’ by GE) from the 1960s. Between fifty and one hundred of these remained in use as recently as 2007. While you are strolling in search of old New York charm, go to Bedford Avenue to see a rust red trolley pole, a reminder of the old B15 trolley that was decommissioned in 1951. Another rarity you won’t see elsewhere, the fire hydrants along Guernsey Street near Meserole were painted red, white and blue in commemoration of the bicentennial in 1976.
4. Sidewalk Clock (Brooklyn's only surviving sidewalk clock at 753 Manhattan Ave.)
Originally the landmark that stood before Bomelstein’s Jewelers, this timepiece was installed between Norman and Meserole streets at 753 Manhattan Avenue. Bomelstein’s is long gone, but their sidewalk clock is the one and only remaining of it’s kind in all of Brooklyn. Since the repairs in 2001 this clock keeps perfect time. In the early 1980s this piece was protected by the City of New York as a Historic Landmark.
Pieces like sidewalk clocks, ornate cast iron benches and subway caps were meant to create intimate spaces for visitors and neighborhood locals. Since the scale of city blocks were vast and seemed never-ending to tourists, these items were placed to make defined areas for rest. Made to be oversized in scale, the sidewalk clocks are mostly seen in Manhattan, making this one in Brooklyn a true rarity.
5. F. J. Berlenbach House (174 Meserole Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
Built in 1887 in the Queen Anne style, this house was built by a German carpenter names Franz Berlenbach. Derived from plans drawn by his son; F. J. Berlenbach Jr. The younger Berlenbach had established an architecture practice nearby. This was primarily used as the family home until 1899. Many wood framed homes here in the Williamsburg area were either clad in aluminum siding or were consumed by fire, this is a unique example of a past era. The Berlenbach home has been well maintained, keeping the original clapboard siding and hand carved ornaments.
The facade seems to be alive with movement from fluid carvings and an overall design theme. The entrance hoods, ornamental bands of faux foliage and star or sun decoration are immediately noticed by passers-by. There are also bracketed cornices that hold a paneled frieze in deep concave and convex carving methods. The facade also holds beautiful stained glass images within it’s windows. THere are also smaller tinted windows that adorn the upper areas of smaller windows.
6. McCarren Park (please, mention McCarren Park Pool and Play Center)
Bordering Lorimer Street and Driggs Avenue, McCarren Park is a vast public space used for multiple purposes. The neighborhood maintains a well lit and clean dog park. The larger expanse of the park straddles two boroughs, making it ideal as the launch pad onto greater area attractions. Much of the park’s perimeter has a wrought iron fence, making it a great place for pet owners. Be aware that all city parks have off-leash play for pups and park-goers before 9 am and after 9 pm. But this space offers designated areas for large and small dogs to socialize. The entrance to this part of the park is closest to 414 Driggs Avenue.
But McCarren Park is best known for their recreational Play Center, where there is a large amount of space devoted to indoor and outdoor sports. A focus here is all year-long athletic facilities, where some train for their own enjoyment, for marathons or students participating in state and national sport championship competitions. The amenities include an indoor pool and weight room, dance studios and basketball courts. The Play Center is easily accessed by the Lorimer Street entrance. Closed Sundays, this complex is open 7 am to 10 pm except on Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm.
7. Eberhard-Faber Pencil Factory on Greenpoint Ave at Franklin St.
Now apartments, this is considered to be one of the city’s oldest homes. Now protected by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the old pencil factory at the corner of Greenpoint Avenue and Franklin Street is adorned with yellow pencils that measure ten feet tall. For almost 100 years this facade has remained unchanged. Eberhard Faber was a manufacturer of number two Mongol pencils until the factory closing in 1956. Paired with the building at West and Kent Street corner, this made up the complex that spanned two city blocks. These are original Federal style buildings popular in the era of the 1820s, when these houses were built. At two and a half stories high, these small houses reflected an understated , clean but cozy style. The brickwork is plain but well done, with symmetrical dormer windows and uniform peaked rooflines. This was at a time when this area was known as Long Island, where the suburbs of Manhattan began.
There are also two houses that join the style of the complex, at 486 and 488 Greenwich Street near Canal Street. These two homes were commissioned by a wealthy tailor named John G. Rohr. In addition to those: two more houses, were built between 511 and 513 Grand Street near East Broadway as the private homes of Henry Barclay and James Lent.
8. The Episcopal Church of the Ascension (1853) the oldest church in Greenpoint on Kent Street
Established here in 1853, the Church of the Ascension is Greenpoint’s oldest house of worship. Today the Reverend John Merz presides over the parishioners, known for the Sunday Dinner served after the 5 pm service. Open only two days a week; Wednesday from 6:30 pm to 7 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 11 am, and then doors open again at 5 pm to 6 pm. This was the Hurricane Sandy Relief Headquarters recently.
Most brave the G train to get here, this is place where all come to worship and socialize. Some join the church by being received by the church elders, but that is not needed to come and enjoy services. There is a main focus on social activism here, and the church is very active in the community. Many come for the traditional 10 am service, but come back for the short informal service later at 5pm, with a jazz pianist accompaniment.
The church was built on three parcels of land, the purchase was made possible by the generosity of parishioner Captain Bliss. Now Kent Street, this was a closed street known as K Street. Ground was broken on July 5 1853. The church was officially consecrated on October 23 1857.
9. Saint Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church (1875) on Manhattan Avenue
The architect Patrick Keeley created some of the most impressive churches in the area, most notable is St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church. This facade stretches 164 feet long and 72 feet wide. Materials from Philadelphia like pressed brick trim and freestone from Nova Scotia were used in the exterior. The center tower is lined up with a pair of large bays flanking the sides, making the design very Victorian Gothic, especially in the gablettes.
Each area of the facade is defined by a buttress frame with a pinnacle at the top. Each door has 1891 stone steps, replacing earlier wooden ones, with red paint and impressive iron hardware. Minton tile is used in the band courses in diamond panels. The upper levels are lined in pointed arches. Minton tile is used here as well, with keyed stonework. Clock faces top the tower. A spire rises beyond them.
At the left of the main church is the convent at #878. Also the work of Keeley, it was built much later in 1874. This structure originally served the church as it’s rectory. It only rises three stories, but stands out with small details that mirror the Victorian Gothic style of the church. The main doors are framed by a projecting bay, and pediment and lintel window frames.
Bushwick
10. Catherina Lipsius House (Dr. Frederick A. Cook House)
Located at 670 Bushwick Avenue, this was used as a private home for many years. It is a large mansion designed in the American Round or Arched Style for Catherina Lipsius, the heiress to the Claus Lipsius Brewing Company. At the time, there were a few large breweries based in Bushwick, descendents of German brewers, in the late 1880s through the 1890s. Henry Claus, Catherina’s husband, founded his business in 1865. He died soon after in 1872.
The widow later married Rudolph Lisius, meriting a company name change. The house was planned in 1889 with the design of architect Theobald Engelhart. Engelhart was a popular architect in the area, many Germans favored his style. Made of stone and brick with terra cotta trim, the mansion centers around a large round tower. The mansard roof is set up high with pilastered dormers. The main facade is marked by horizontal string courses and moldings, including rough-faced stone that continues over the round-arched windows.
11. St. Barbara's Roman Catholic Church
You can find the Roman Catholic church named for Saint Barbara at 138 Bleecker Street in Brooklyn. Getting here is easy if you take the M, J or Z trains. The church is popular for the acting club. Parishioners mostly keep to themselves, forming small cliques within. The church bells chime irregularly, to the annoyance of area residents.
The church itself is absolutely stunning with a domed ceiling, marble used throughout and decorations of paintings and sculpture. This is a very quiet place where you can catch some relief from the city streets. Created in 1910 to the designs of the architectural firm of Helme and Huberty, this church has been named with a dual purpose; for brewer Leonard Eppig's little daughter Barbara— Eppig contributed to the parish.
12. RKO Bushwick Theater
Originally called the Bushwick Theater, the doors opened on September 11 in 1911. It was a vaudeville theater owned and operated by Percy Williams. One year later it was taken over by the B. F. Keith chain of theaters, until 1930 when Keith merged with RKO. From 1930 until it closed in 1969 it was a popular theater in the neighborhood, after it was out of use it served as a church and community center. For a number of years, the building went into disrepair. In 2004 it was reopened for use as the regional high school. It is beautifully designed with a corner location, creating an elegant curve. The windows are adorned with ornate decoration, this was an era when performance was an elevated artform.
Numerous events took place here when the theater was in its heyday: In 1951 Bela Lugosi of the film ‘Dracula’ performed his Horror and Magic Stage Show. It was a rare in-person appearance. The building still stands at the corner of Broadway and Howard, from the Gates Avenue station and Broadway you have only to walk up the street about a block or so. This structure is just a shell now, it had to be completely gutted to accommodate the high school use.
13. Engine Company 252 (Originally Fire Engine Company 52)
Engine 252 was constructed between 1896 and 1897 as the landmark design by the Parfitt Brothers. When the Brooklyn Fire Department expanded in the 1890s they established a new force in the southern section of Bushwick. It is a Flemish revival style, the most impressive piece of architecture is at the facade; a scrolled front gable and stepped end gables, may allude to the seventeenth-century history of Bushwick as a Dutch settlement.
Made of brick and red sandstone from Lake Superior, it also has contrasting terra-cotta detail and iron work at the front facade. The carved stone lintel has the crest of the fire house and the date 1896. Over the years the building has been in continuous use as a fire house. It is a neighborhood icon as well as home to the heroes of Bushwick.
Park Slope
14. The Old Stone House
Known simply as the Old Stone House, the family home of the Vechte-Cortelyou now serves as a community center. It has an interest in education, serving 6,000 students a year who come on field trips to learn about the Battle of Brooklyn and how colonial life differs from modern times. The house also has a unique garden, in partnership with MS 51, a natural area for native planting exists to promote a better environment for local animals.
The Museum is open all year, features a historic interpretive center with a permanent exhibit about the Battle of Brooklyn. The second floor Great Room also has rotating exhibits through the year. The proceeds from the museum also benefit the Friends of Washington Park. A new playground opened on May 11 with designated spaces for toddlers and big kids to play safely.
Sunset Park
15. Elvis Presley exhibit in Brooklyn Army Terminal
The Brooklyn Army Terminal is in Sunset Park, Brooklyn between the LIRR Bay Ridge Branch and 58th Street; between 2nd Avenue and the Narrows. September 1958, Elvis boarded a troop train from Memphis to the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park. His likely route from Memphis to Brooklyn involved traveling from Penn Station to Jamaica, where he took a train along the Bay Ridge Branch from its junction with the LIRR Main Line in Glendale to the end of the line in Bay Ridge.
The Brooklyn Army Terminal has an exhibit in the front lobby commemorating Elvis’ arrival in Brooklyn. This display is up all year. Though Elvis only gave one formal concert in New York, at Madison Square Garden June 9-11 1972. Previously he performed live at television studios in the City, and recorded tracks at RCA Studios, then on East 24th, in 1956.
Bay Ridge
16. Gingerbread House
Now on the market, as of May 2013 the Gingerbread House was still looking for a buyer, asking price at $11 million. This is a unique home made of stone and a thatched roof, giving it a fairy tale style of architecture. At 8200 Narrows Avenue is a setting straight from a fairy tale. A true craftsman home, this house has small details throughout in the woodwork, glass insets and a rich color scheme. It has a quaint air about it, giving you a cozy feeling deep in the city. Currently the FIshman family is living here until the property sells. They have lived here since the 1980s.
Architect James Sarsfield Kennedy designed this home in 1916. The Fishmans have been careful with the restoration, bringing the house back to it’s prime. It is an open floor plan with oak used throughout. Other features include the Burmese mahogany floors, coffered ceilings with hand painted canvases, pastoral plaster relief, antique stained glass artwork imported from Europe, handmade tiles, and handcrafted fireplaces.
An amazing array of photos can be found here. <http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/05/03/bay_ridge_gingerbread_house_still_seeking_buyer_asks_11m.php>
17. Bay Ridge United Methodist Church
Originally known to the neighborhood as Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, Bay Ridge United Methodist Church is located at 7002 Fourth Avenue and Ovington Avenue. Built following the plan of architect George W. Kramer, it was razed in 1899 in the Romanesque Revival style. Unique materials like green serpentine stone were used, as well as brown stone trim. It features a four stage, crenelated clock tower.
Unfortunately the church was demolished October 21, 2008 despite being on the National Register of Historic Places (designated in 1999). It is now the site of a different church: New York Namsan Korean Community Church. Apartments are above the ground level, at a starting price of $189 thousand to buy.
Flatbush
18. Albemarle and Kenmore Terraces
The Albemarle-Kenmore Terraces are the feature of the Historic District. It is a small district located in Flatbush, a neighborhood of Brooklyn.Two short cul-de-sacs create these intimate spaces, Albemerle Terrace and Kenmore Terrace, located just off of East 21st Street, made up of 32 houses on these two streets.
Slee & Bryson were a local architecture firm responsible for the design of the area. Though one firm planned the area homes, the style between the two streets differ greatly. Built between 1916 and 1917, Colonial Revival homes rise two and one-half- or three-stories in brick on Albermarle Terrace. In addition, courts and raised above street level behind terraces or front gardens are quaint features on most all homes here.
On Kenmore Terrace, three of the houses are also in the Colonial Revival style, one of which was built in 1918 and other two in 1919 and 1920. The remaining six on the south side of the street show the influence of the Garden city movement, named for a city in neighboring Nassau County. In this style they were designed in the English Arts and Crafts style. These Kenmore cottages were built in 1918-19, and predates the look of many suburban homes built in the decades to come, as each house has a driveway leading to a private garage.
Though it lies outside the parameters of the historic district, the Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church, a two and one-half-story wood-frame house designed in a vernacular style transitional between the Greek Revival and Italianate styles. It was built in 1853 and relocated in 1918 to its present location.
19. Erasmus Hall Academy
A beautiful example of the prime work done by architect C. B. J. Snyder. He designed a series of buildings to be constructed as needed, around an open quadrangle, while continuing to use the old building in the center of the courtyard. This stunning example of collegiate-minded architecture stands at 899-925 Flatbush Avenue between Church and Snyder Avenues. Before public school system took it over in 1896, this was a private school focused around the work of Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch Renaissance humanist.
Beautiful details like cornices with students reading books in hand, and relief sculpture featuring students in their mortarboards are rare to see elsewhere in the city’s civic architecture. The original Academy building, which still stands in the courtyard of the current school, served the students of Erasmus Hall in three different centuries. Now a designated New York City Landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the building is a museum.
Alumni include Barbara Streisand, Eli Wallach, Lanie Kazan, Barbara Stanwyck, Beverly Sills, Mickey Spillane, Susan Hayward, Neil Diamond, chess master Bobby Fischer, and many many more. The school is on the decline, as the Board of Education stated: “... the funds to fix it can’t be spent on the building, as it will not be classrooms.” Which is a big disappointment to community members. The future of this institution remains undecided.
20. Flatbush Town Hall
Flatbush Town Hall is located at 35 Snyder Avenue between Flatbush and Bedford Avenues.It is a historic town hall building erected between 1874-1875. Following the design by John Y. Culyer in the High Victorian Gothic style, it is attributed to the Ruskinian mode. It is a diminutive two story brick building on a stone foundation, and features a three-story bell tower with a steepled roof. The building dates from the time when Brooklyn was a city of Long Island, in 1894. It was only after which the building served as a magistrate's court and as a police station.
This location was given Landmark Designation in the 1960s. Like many landmarks in the 1980s, this town hall underwent a large scale renovation and refurbishment. It is now used as a community center and serves as the heart of the neighborhood.
コメント