Brooklyn Heights

By Stella Chung, Robert Godberson, Karishma Malhotra, Masha, Fomitchova BROOKLYN HEIGHTS Today, the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights is known for its historical and architectural charm that developed over the years. Because of its proximity to Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights has been growing popularity in the recent years. The residents of Brooklyn Heights pride themselves as being America’s first suburb. The emerging gem is home to over 600 historical buildings and New York City’s first designated historical district. However, designating it as a historical district required tiresome legislative efforts as Brooklyn Heights was seen as a backwater neighborhood until recent years. Originally, It was a Native American settlement known as Ihpetonga. Next came the Dutch who settled mostly next to the waterfront area for practical reasons. In the late 18th century, the area near the waterfront began to industrialize as the American Revolution was in full swing. This is the time when the famous “Four Chimneys House” was constructed which not only served as George Washington’s headquarters during battles but also the house of Hezekiah Beers Pierrepont. Pierrepont was a merchant and land developer from Paris who is known as a founder of Brooklyn Heights. He initially set up a grid-like structure for Brooklyn Heights and invested heavily in the surrounding lands. Many streets in the area were named after wealthy investors who bought out the lands, such as Hicks and Middagh, while others were named after fruits to appeal to buyers. Many historic wooden homes exist in the area, one of the famous ones known as 64 Poplar which was built by Walt Whitman’s father himself. The Heights is also popular for including architectural styles from every country and period including Renaissance, Gothic, and Colonial styles. The area rapidly began growing in popularity as New Yorkers realized the benefits of living in the suburbs with the convenience of commuting to Manhattan. During this time, there was an abundance of churches being built. They were symbols of luxury and wealth. The most famous one, Congregationalist Plymouth Church, was a place of political gatherings as it was a stop for the Underground Railroad. Additionally, the abolitionist minister of the church invited Abraham Lincoln to come and speak at the church which later facilitated his victory in the election. The luxurious Brooklyn Heights that was home to the suburban commuter evolved with the influx of immigration towards the end of the 19th century. New transportation between the city and Brooklyn Heights attracted the masses and spacious housings were divided into smaller rooms to house the new population. The heavy immigration of that time quickly changed people’s interest in the area and it wasn’t till the constriction of the Cadman Plaza and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway that the area was revived once again. As construction continued and America was steeped in World War II, a new movement took hold in Brooklyn Heights that was led by educated families and eventually transformed the area into the brownstones loved today during the 19th century. Some notable people who residened in the historic Brooklyn Heights were W.E.B. Du Bois, Walt Whitman, Marilyn Monroe, and John Roebling. W.E.B. Du Bois was civil rights activist and author who dedicated his life to fighting for African American equality in the United States. He protested against Jim Crow laws, lynching, and fought for equality in employment regardless of race. Moreover, he fought for the freedom of African colonies from the greedy hands of European powers who aimed to exploit the people and natural resources. Another notable figure from Brooklyn Heights was John Roebling, the German born civil engineer behind the Brooklyn Bridge. Furthermore, Walt Whitman and his father both resided in Brooklyn Heights over the course of its history. Walt Whitman was a famous poet who bridged the gap between transcendentalism and realism in American literature. Residing on 64 Poplar Street, Whitman’s famous work Leaves of Grass is an epic collection of his poetry that has been republished multiple times. Another noteworthy figure, Marilyn Monroe, was a famous American model and actress who became a sex symbol during her lifetime. She resided at 62 Montague Street. Also a singer, she still lives on as a pop culture icon that represents the bold and strong-willed female figure. She left behind a legacy of redefining beauty with her famous quotes such as “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring”. The area of Brooklyn Heights has earned every bit of its historic appeal as it is home to many historic buildings. At 82 Pierrepont Street resides the Herman Behr Mansion, a mansion with a shady history since its original construction in 1888. It was originally constructed for the wealthy industrialist Herman Behr but later transformed into the Palm Hotel when the family moved upstate. In its later years, it secretly became home to a brothel according to an urban legend. Its appeal comes not only from its turbulent history, but also its representation of Romanesque Revival styles of architecture thanks to its architect Frank Freeman. Another historic building was Hotel Margaret, also constructed by Frank Freeman. Destroyed by a fire when someone accidently left the heater on, this building was the area’s first skyscraper. At 111 Lawrence Street stands The Brooklyner, one of the tallest buildings in the borough that has apartments available for rent. The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce at 75 Livingston Street is a 30 story tower. Designed by architect Abraham J. Simberg in 1926, it is currently part of the Historic Skyscraper District in Brooklyn. Another famous hotel from the area is Hotel Bossert at 98 Montague Street. It stands as a tall representation of Italian Renaissance architecture and held the celebratory party as the Brooklyn Dodgers won their first and last World Series championship. Originally constructed as an apartment building, it has been home to many Brooklyn Dodger players. The hotel drew some bad publicity when the governor of American Samoa, Charles Armijo Woodruff committed suicide in one of the rooms by hanging himself. The bad streak continued as a month later, former Congressman Thomas F. Magner also died in the building. Brooklyn Heights Historic District Key 1) Fulton Ferry Landing 2) Eagle Warehouse and Storage 3) Jehovah’s Witnesses Headquarters 4) Middagh Street, some of oldest homes in the city 5) 19 Cranberry Street, home of Castorini family in Moonstruck 6) Plymouth Church 7) Truman Capote’s home 8) Brooklyn Promenade 9) Herman Behr House For those wanting to explore the area, a walking tour of key landmark buildings may be a fun way to spend several hours learning about the history of the area. Some points of interest include Eagle Warehouse and Storage, the headquarters of The Brooklyn Eagle, a newspaper edited by the famed Walt Whitman from 1846-1848 (#2.) The block of Middagh Street between Willow and Hicks contains some of the oldest buildings in the city, which date back to the early 1800’s, when Brooklyn Heights was founded. Buildings 31-33 were built in 1820 and served as a men’s hairdressing parlor and a pharmacy, and number 37 on Willow Street is one of the country’s first apartment buildings. Near Pierremont Street, one can find the 1890 Herman Behr House (at the corner of Henry St. and #9 on the map), which has unique terracotta sculptures and served as an apartment building, a hotel, and even a brothel- the Happy Hooker! Lastly, it is worth visiting the Brooklyn Historical Society, (#10,) which houses regularly changing exhibits about the history of Brooklyn and New York City. Barclays Center Barclays Center is a large, multipurpose indoor arena, which hosts concerts, conventions, and athletic events. It is home to the Brooklyn Nets of the NBA and the New York Islanders of the NHL. The construction of the arena was proposed in 2004, and intended to be completed by 2006; however, conflicts over negative local impact and a lack of public funding postponed progress on the project until 2010, as there was significant local public concern about the stadium’s environmental impact, and the shutting down of well-established small businesses. However, it was eventually decided that the arena would bring more growth than do damage, and construction of Barclays Center was finally finished in 2012. Its opening was celebrated with a Jay-Z concert in September 2012. Barclays Center is designed by the architecture firm SHoP Architects, and the designs were drawn by architect Frank Gehry. The design evolved greatly over two months: the building was originally proposed as a limited-access rooftop park with an adjacent 620-ft tower, Miss Brooklyn! However, the final design is clearly much more suitable for a public event space. The arena is structured as three articulated bands, with a facade of 12,000 intentionally rusted steel panels. Some say these resemble scales on a reptile, while others claim this design is intended to be reminiscent of Brooklyn’s brownstone buildings. A large, irregularly-shaped display screen lines the inner side of the oculus. The event space is recognized for having “theater” lighting for Nets games, which illuminates the court and darkens the rest of the stadium, creating a stage-like effect. It is also known for having impressive acoustics for concerts, which may be the reason that, despite initial doubts about its construction, it has come to surpass Madison Square Garden as the highest-grossing venue in the US for concerts, family shows, and other non-sporting events. As hockey season and basketball season approach, many games will be taking place here, so one can look at the arena’s schedule to get tickets to one of many upcoming big sports events.

Load more