Introducing Charles Long, Park Slope Builder

Charles Long was a local owner/developer who built several substantial rows of Park Slope houses in the 1880s.

He first appears in connection with some new houses in 5th Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues, in a Brooklyn Eagle advertisement from 1882. Unfortunately the ad is somewhat vague regarding location. It seems possible, from the text of the advertisement, that Charles Long had a business relationship with the Litchfield family at this time.

Brooklyn Eagle, June 12, 1882, p. 3.

The first project with which we can associate Charles Long working as an independent developer is a row of ten brownstone-faced three story over basement single-family houses on the north side of 5th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues (#445 - 459 5th Street). This row was erected 1882-83 and seems to mark the beginning of a lengthy collaboration between Charles Long, owner/architect, and builder J. F. Wood:

Brooklyn Eagle, August 17, 1882, p. 3 ("Brisk")

"Building Intelligence; Brooklyn," AABN vol. 12, no. 345 (Aug. 5, 1882): p. 67.

–"Fifth St., n s, 129' e [sic - w] Seventh Ave., 10 three-st’y dwells.; cost, each, $4,000; owner, Chas. Long, 383 Eleventh St.; builder, J. F. Wood."

The houses are flat-faced Neo-grec with distinctive door hood and brackets that we will see repeated identically in subsequent developments from Long and Wood:

445-459 5th Street - unprotected

457 5th Street - detail

Later that same year, the Brooklyn Eagle again checks in with Charles Long regarding this row of houses, and seems to hint that Long has been a prolific builder in Brooklyn, although we have not positively associated him with earlier buildings in Park Slope. Long provides an amusing answer in response to an Eagle query regarding why he chose to build houses for sale, rather than flats for rent:

Brooklyn Eagle, November 07, 1882, p. 1 ("Homes")

A Complete Blockfront: Butler & Wirth in 6th Avenue

The west side of Sixth Avenue between 5th & 6th Streets in Park Slope appears to be entirely the work of two men: owner Thomas Butler, and architect William H. Wirth. Once again we find the common motif of a central row of matching buildings, bracketed by differing buildings on the ends:

6th Avenue, 5th to 6th Streets, west side - unprotected

The central buildings compose a row of narrow (16'), brick-faced, 2 1/2 story-over-basement single-family houses built in 1888. The American Architect and Building News documents the row as follows:

"Building Intelligence; Houses; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 21, no. 575 (Jan. 1, 1887): p. xi.

– "Sixth Ave., s w cor. Fifth St., three-st’y brick store and dwell., tin roof; cost, $8,000; owner and builder, Thomas Butler, 389 Sixth St.; architect, W. H. Wirth."

"Building Intelligence; Houses; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 22, no. 627 (Dec. 31, 1887): p. xiv.

– "Sixth Ave., w s, 20' s Fifth St., 10 two-st’y front, three-st’y on rear, brick dwells., tin roofs, wooden cornices; cost, each, $3,000; owner and builder, Thomas Butler, 389 Sixth St.; architect, W. H. Wirth."

"Building Intelligence; Houses; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 23, no. 628 (Jan. 7, 1888): p. xvi.

– "Sixth Ave., n w cor. Sixth St., two-st’y and basement brown-stone dwell., tin roof, wooden and iron cornice; cost, $4,000; owner, Thomas Butler, 389 Sixth St.; architect, W. H. Wirth; builders, Buchanan & Riley."

The row is slightly unusual in that the end buildings, though differing from the central row, do not match each other. A 3-story, mixed-use (flats over store), brick building, which predates the rest of the row by about one year, stands at the 5th St. end, while the 6th St. end holds a two-story-over-basement, brownstone-faced single family house:

6th Avenue & 5th Street, southwest corner - unprotected

6th Avenue & 6th Street, northwest corner - unprotected

All were however apparently built in 1887-1888 by owner Thomas Butler to designs by architect W. H. Wirth.

The original, narrow brick houses in the central row are quite charming and are mostly in original condition.

370 6th Avenue - unprotected

Unfortunately one of the central row was "remuddled" at some point and had its cornice line raised to full height, breaking the row's symmetry:

364-362A 6th Avenue - unprotected

We have encountered Thomas Butler before; he it was who built the long row around the corner in 5th St.

Wirth seems to have been an architect in highly localized practice. The 1897 Lain's Brooklyn Directory lists a Wm. H. Wirth in 17th St.:

WIRTH Wm. realestate 358 17th
WIRTH Wm. H. realestate 358 17th

Our documentary history of the Park Slope expansion study area lists many other buildings by W. H. Wirth, mostly smaller buildings toward the lower or southerly parts of Park Slope. A Brooklyn Eagle search confirms that he was not above designing the occasional "frame tenement".

Wirth was also a great promoter of development in the Windsor Terrace neighborhood. We suspect he may have held property there. The Brooklyn Eagle published several letters from W. H. Wirth advocating street improvements south of Prospect Park and the extension of Prospect Avenue (June 06, 1898, p. 8; September 03, 1897, p. 7).

Finally it should be noted that W. H. Wirth apparently chaired several subcommittees of the South Brooklyn Board of Trade, the 19th c. predecessor of the Park Slope Civic Council, the leading advocate for the current push to extend the Park Slope Historic District. The Brooklyn Eagle recounts the minutes of several meetings of the South Brooklyn Board of Trade in Acme Hall, still standing on the northwest corner of 7th Avenue and 9th Street, with committee reports from one W. H. Wirth. In his capacity on the South Brooklyn Board of Trade, he seems to have been an indefatigable advocate of development in the South Slope.

A Complete Blockfront: C. P. Skelton in Sixth Avenue

Another fine example of a complete Park Slope blockfront designed as a unified whole stands on the west side of 6th Avenue between 1st & 2nd Streets:

278-296 6th Avenue - unprotected

We searched the online Brooklyn Eagle in vain for any citation of these buildings. We tried countless permutations of search keys including "Sixth avenue", "First street", "Second street" etc., but no hits. Thus it was highly gratifying finally to find a reference in the American Architect and Building News of 1887:

"Building Intelligence; Houses; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 21, no. 600 (Jun. 25, 1887): p. xiii.

– "Sixth Ave., s w cor. First St., three-st’y and basement brown-stone dwell., tin roof; cost, $5,000; owner, architect and builder, C. P. Skelton."

– "Sixth Ave., n w cor. Second St., three-st’y and basement brown-stone dwell., tin roof; cost, $5,000; owner, architect and builder, C. P. Skelton."

– "Sixth Ave., w s 20' s First St., 8 two-and-a-half-st’y and basement brown-stone dwells., tin roofs; cost, each, $5,000; owner, architect and builder, C. P. Skelton.

This is one of those cases, apparently not uncommon in 19th c. Brooklyn, in which a single individual, one C. P. Skelton in this case, alone assumed the role of owner, architect, and builder. Skelton seems to have carried off his responsibility quite nicely here. The end houses bracket the row with full-height, two-sided projecting window bays and a full three stories over basement, in contrast to the two-and-a-half story, flat facades of much of the rest of the row. The central pair of houses again rises to a full three stories. Altogether this row seems to us perhaps a slight echo of the wonderful townhouse blocks of Knightsbridge or Belgravia.

The entire Neo-grec block is in nearly original condition, excepting one of the central pair which has regrettably lost its stoop and cornice.

278-296 6th Avenue - unprotected

The 1897 Lain's Brooklyn Directory lists 296 6th Avenue, the choice corner lot with full southern exposure, as the residence of Christopher P. Skelton, "builder".

SKELTON Chris'r P. bldr. 296 6th av

296-294 6th Avenue - unprotected

Beyond the fact that he designed and built this fine row in 1887 and occupied the end house himself, we have found nothing else about Christopher P. Skelton.

A Complete Blockfront: John J. Deery, Architect

Park Slope boasts many complete blockfronts, designed as a whole for a single client by one architect. Such is the case for the block fronting 7th Avenue between 1st and 2nd Streets, across from P.S. 321:

173-187 7th Avenue - unprotected

According to the American Architect and Building News, with corroborating evidence from the Brooklyn Eagle, the row was built in 1891 for Joseph E. Rogers of Manhattan, and was designed by architect John J. Deery:

173-187 Seventh Avenue (SE corner 1st Street to NE corner 2nd Street)

"Building Intelligence; Stores; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 31, no. 792 (Feb. 28, 1891): p. xviii.

– "Seventh Ave., s e cor. First St., five-st’y brick store and dwell., tin and tile roof; cost, $18,000; owner, J. E. Rogers, 1650 Madison Ave., New York City; architect, John J. Deery, 280 Broadway, New York City."

– "Seventh Ave., n e cor. Second St., five-st’y brick store and dwell., tin and tile roof; cost, $18,000; owner, J. E. Rogers, 1650 Madison Ave., New York City; architect, John J. Deery, 280 Broadway, New York City."

– "Seventh Ave., e s, 25' s First St., 6 four-st’y brick stores and dwells., tin and tile roofs; cost, $12,000 each; owner, Joseph E. Rogers, 1650 Madison Ave., New York City; architect, John J. Deery, 280 Broadway, New York City."

At the southeast corner of Seventh avenue and First street and the northeast corner of Seventh avenue and Second street, two five story brick stores and dwellings, 25x90, nine families in each. Joseph E. Rogers, owner: cost $30,000. -Brooklyn Eagle, January 31, 1891, p. 2 ("New Buildings"). Together with:
On Seventh avenue, near First street, six four story brick store dwellings, 25x70, eight families in each. Joseph E. Rogers, owner: cost $72,000. -Brooklyn Eagle, January 31, 1891, p. 2 ("New Buildings").

The original row comprised eight buildings, in three designs, in an ABBCCBBA pattern. The corner ("A") buildings are five stories each, while the others are four stories; the center two ("C") buildings have double bay windows.

173 7th Avenue (style 'A') - unprotected

173 7th Avenue - detail - pressed tin decoration

177 7th Avenue - style 'B' - detail

181 7th Avenue - style 'C' - unprotected

Architect John Jerome Deery's practice seems to have been based in Philadelphia and to have involved the design of many Roman Catholic church buildings. His biography is posted on the Philadelphia Buildings website, where the Park Slope blockfront is listed amongst his known works.

The block is missing an original building at 185 7th Avenue. The New York Times of March 10, 1928 reports the sale of 185 Seventh Avenue, a six-family flat, in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, so the original building was apparently still standing at that time.

173-187 7th Avenue - unprotected

However, the building is missing in an aerial photograph of Park Slope from the 1950s; the view is to the west and the row is in the lower right-hand corner of the photograph. Sometime between 1928 and the 1950s, this otherwise intact block developed a "missing tooth".

7th Avenue - 3rd St. to 1st St. - view to west - 1950s

The view above also shows the buildings that were later replaced by P.S. 321.

Documentary History published

The first edition of our Documentary History of the Park Slope Historic District Expansion Study Area is now published on the web.

This document compiles all of the historic documentation that our intrepid band of volunteer researchers has been able to uncover so far about the historic unprotected buildings in Park Slope. We have been posting this same material in the photo comments of our comprehensive photo survey of Park Slope. But this new document consolidates all this information into a single place. We will continue to maintain both the photo captions and this document as new research comes into our hands.

In many cases, we have multiple citations for the same group of buildings, and it is interesting to note how the different citations complement each other. Consider the following citations for the same row of houses on Prospect Place. The first is from the American Architect and Building News, while the second is from the Brooklyn Eagle:

54-64 Prospect Place - unprotected

54-64 Prospect Place

"Building Intelligence; Houses; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 21, no. 599 (Jun. 18, 1887): p. xiii.

– "Prospect Pl., s s, 103' w Sixth Ave., 6 three-st’y and basement brown-stone dwells., tin roofs; cost, $8,000; owner, Theresa B. Collins, 359 Sixth St.; architect, C. P. H. Gilbert."

On Prospect Place, near Sixth avenue, Mr. F. B. Collins will build six three story and basement brick residences, 16.8x45, for one family in each, to cost $48,000. -Brooklyn Eagle, June 11, 1887, p. 2 ("Up Again").

The AABN listing is very specific with regard to location; includes the address of the developer; and also includes the architect's name. The Eagle citation seems to have mistaken the first initial and gender of the developer. However the Eagle's citation includes the buildings' dimensions.

We have tried to minimize "interpretation" of these findings and to let the documentary record speak for itself. Assigning the citations to present-day addresses is, of course, itself an interpretation.

C. P. H. Gilbert, the distinguished architect of this beautiful row of Queen Anne houses, also designed many of the buildings in Montgomery Place and Carroll Street within the current Historic District.

Postscript: Louis Bonert

Our intrepid band of historic researchers has uncovered a wealth of new material regarding our favorite Park Slope builder, the prolific Louis Bonert, about whom we have written a great deal on this blog. We won't review the entire Bonert thread, but we want to clarify a couple of earlier tentative attributions.

Most of our latest material has been culled from the American Architect and Building News (AABN), a great resource for researchers of historic buildings. Some of the AABN is online, but we are lucky to have a researcher who has access to nearly the complete run in hardcopy, from which we have derived a wealth of new material for our ever-expanding "Documentary History of Park Slope" (which we hope to publish shortly on the web). Our Research Committee is winding up a chronological scan of the entire AABN run, extracting all of the "hits" for Park Slope. As the hits are obtained, we are logging them in the comments section of our comprehensive photo survey of Park Slope, and also compiling them in a master file we are calling the "Documentary History" of Park Slope, which we will be publishing in a few days.

At any rate, in our earlier Bonert series, we went out on a limb a few times and engaged in "interpretation" or "speculation", in contrast to simply publishing the documentary evidence.

One of these cases is the west side of Sixth Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets (the block from Puppetworks to the Park Slope Ale House):

6th Avenue and 5th Street, northwest corner - unprotected

6th Avenue and 4th Street, southwest corner - unprotected

Despite a complete lack of any evidence, we speculated earlier that this row was by Bonert, based on its similarities to buildings across the street for which we have a documented connection. And we are gratified that the AABN has now confirmed the connection. According to the AABN, Louis Bonert constructed this row in 1891 to the plans of prolific Brooklyn architect W. M. Coots:

"Building Intelligence; Apartment-Houses; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 34, no. 823 (Oct. 3, 1891): p. xvi.

– "Sixth Ave., n w cor. Fifth St., 5 four-st’y brick apartment-houses, tin roofs; cost, $35,000; owner and builder, L. Bonnert [sic - Bonert], 528 Tenth St.; architect, W. M. Coots, 26 Court St."

"Building Intelligence; Stores; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 34, no. 826 (Oct. 24, 1891): p. xviii.

– "Sixth Ave., s w cor. Fourth St., 5 four-st’y stores and apartment-houses, tin roofs; cost, $35,000; owner and builder, L. Bonnert, 528 Tenth St.; architect, W. M. Coots, 26 Court St."

We speculated elsewhere that the northeast corner of 6th Avenue and First street might also have been from Bonert, based on similarities to some of his other work:

6th Avenue and 1st Street, northeast corner - unprotected

However, the AABN confirms that these buildings were built in 1895 by M. S. Buckley to designs by architect Robert Dixon:

"Building Intelligence; Houses; Brooklyn, N. Y.," AABN vol. 49, no. 1019 (Jul. 6, 1895): p. 7.
– "Sixth Ave., e s, 22' 8" n 1^st St., 4 four-st’y brick dwells., 19' 4" x 62'; tin roofs; $19,000; own. and bld., M. S. Buckley, 287 Tenth St.; arch., Robt. Dixon, 219 Montague St."

– "Sixth Ave., , n e cor. 1^st St., four-st’y brick dwell., 22' 8" x 90'; tin roof; $8,000; own. and bld., M. S. Buckley, 287 Tenth St.; arch., Robt. Dixon, 219 Montague St."

In truth we harbored doubts about our earlier tentative attribution to Bonert. The buildings lack the distinctive "Green Man" panels beneath the windows, and also feature only single columns flanking the doorways, rather than Bonert's distinctive column clusters. Now the AABN confirms that they are in fact not by Bonert at all, although they do seem somewhat derivative of his buildings.

Watch for the upcoming publication of our "Documentary History" of Park Slope.

Montauk Club Palimpsest

Recently some of the photographs taken circa 1970 during the push to establish the original Park Slope Historic District (designated July 17, 1973) have come into our hands, and one of our committee members scanned some of them.

The cars look different; trees grow; businesses come and go. Generations come and go! But the buildings, happily, remain largely the same.

Below we see 103-105 Lincoln Place, just above 6th Avenue, photographed circa 1970 during the first Historic District campaign, and again in 2008 during our current campaign. (We photographed all of Park Slope in 2008 to facilitate the LPC's research, and to help make the case that the undesignated portions are just as historic as the designated portions.)

103-105 Lincoln Place, circa 1970

103-105 Lincoln Place, Park Slope Historic District, 2008

Just about the only difference is the large tree that has grown up in the intervening years.

The view below, of the east side of 8th Avenue, looks much the same now. One can make out the Montauk Club and #1 Plaza Street West in the distance:

8th Avenue, east side, looking north toward Lincoln Place, circa 1970

Below is an interesting view of 7th Avenue between Lincoln Place and Berkeley Place. The corner building on right today houses the Santa Fe Grill. The projecting storefront on the left was the "Shamrock Bar" circa 1970:

7th Avenue, west side, Lincoln Place to Berkeley Place, circa 1970

60 7th Avenue, Park Slope Historic District, 2008

The street light seems to be a relatively recent addition to this corner.

The photograph below shows the north side of Lincoln Place between 8th Avenue and Plaza Street West; the Montauk Club is on the left:

Montauk Club, Park Slope, circa 1970

The lion (or is it a griffin?), holding a shield embossed with the club's initials, was apparently an original feature of the decorative fence. Our memories of this corner date to 1990, but we recall no lion ever having been there. Was the lion stolen? Taken away for safekeeping?

We walked past the corner recently to see if there were any sign or palimpsest of the lion's presence. Indeed, this corner's fence post differs from all the others -- it alone lacks the small pedestal on which the lion once stood. All the other posts have at least the pedestal.