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Crown Heights History: Why is This House Different Then All Other Houses?

This series on Crown Heights History has been compiled by Instagram account @crownheightshistory, a born and raised Crown Heightser, and shows some of the ongoing research taking place.

It’s something people wonder on certain blocks in Crown Heights. Why amidst the consistent rows of houses will you suddenly see a more uniquely built house? We already covered the house on Montgomery between Kingston and Brooklyn, and while researching President Street I came across this announcement about a one story house being built “380 feet east of Albany Avenue for $100” which shed light on why this house is the only detached house on the block.

After the Bedford area was incorporated into the city of Brooklyn and the 1837 grid, and before they developed South of Eastern Parkway, a bunch of individual mostly low quality “shanty” houses were erected throughout the area. Many where along Eastern Parkway.

In fact 770 Eastern Parkway had a shanty house on it in the 1890s. I don’t know if people owned the lots, or I’m assuming they essentially squatting on long vacant land. That shed was certainly removed after Eastern Parkway Co purchase that land for his new upscale neighborhood. I read this week that Fredrick Rowe even discussed putting up pillars on both sides of Brooklyn and New York Avenues as a grand entrance to this new restricted Neighborhood.

The vision was of single family homes on Union Street and Mansions on President street to be the standard but Union St did not sell very fast and the company sold all their land to Rowe and others. The rest of neighborhood was developed with 2 family detracted or row houses.

I am assuming that this house wasn’t sold until after the rest of the block was developed and that allowed Nathan Halperin to build his “mansion” on that spot after the rest of the block was developed.

To Be Continued….

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8 Comments

  • Not So

    There was a grassy hill where 770 was built. There was formerly a white house where the next door Apartment Building(s) were built at 784-8 Eastern Parkway.

    • Jennifer

      A grassy hill before the current structure, but that doesn’t mean the writer in incorrect in saying there was a shanty there before 1890.

  • Marcia Rose Yawitz

    As a child, I lived on President Street between Kingston and Albany Avenues. The street was populated by doctors including my father. I was six years old when my father and I went to see his friend who was an abortionist. The house was unbelievably impressive. Abortions were illegal, but he was not arrested for abortions, but for tax evasion. He only reported income from his regular practice

    • Facebook

      Please check your Facebook messages I would like to hear more about that era in Crown Heights

    • History

      You may be suprised to hear this but Crown Heights didn’t start in 1940. There is a whole history of how the neighborhood was built.

      Many people when they walk down the streets, they wonder whats the story with different houses and there are barely any write ups about the original of Heights real estate. This is something that interests many people.

      And that’s why it’s important :)

  • W

    Love this history. Born and raised in Brooklyn, walked past these homes and never thought about it…definitely worth doing a walking tour.