One short block in Park Slope shows off the best of the neighbourhood’s historic architecture, plus traces of the elite New Yorkers who have called it home.
In a neighborhood known for its gracious residential architecture, Montgomery Place has many spectacular examples. Stroll leisurely along one of the most beautiful blocks in Brooklyn and marvel at limestone mansions nestled next to classic brownstone row houses in this residential enclave, straight out of Brooklyn’s 19th-century peak.
As local industrialists and businessmen built their fortunes during the Gilded Age, a real estate developer and architect team decided to establish Park Slope as a well-to-do neighborhood for upper-crust New Yorkers. Harvey Murdock commissioned C.P.H. Gilbert, later known for building marble palaces for rich businessmen on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, to design 20 of the nearly 50 houses on the block. Stop in front of 1 Montgomery Place, a vast mansion originally constructed for the mastermind behind the Coney Island amusement park. Other early tenants of the street included a bubble-gum magnate, a famous silversmith and a renowned sculptor.
Appreciate the distinctive home designs on this street.Unlike the rows of uniform townhouses in other parts of the borough, the buildings on this block are all unique. Notice the brick, brownstone and terra-cotta details on other houses, as well as their tile roofs, wrought iron detailing and beautiful stained glass.
Check out 21-25 Montgomery Place for an excellent example of the Romanesque Revival architecture of the time. Decorative floral panels climb the sides of the house, while griffins and animal figures worked into the structure watch over passersby.
In the 1960s, as the whole city fell on hard times, many of the mansions on Montgomery Place were converted to boardinghouses. Soon after that, however, preservationists began to recognize the value of these magnificent buildings. Consider how history has come full circle: today, many of the houses have been divided into luxurious condos or purchased by wealthy film and theater stars.
All homes on Montgomery Place are private residences. For the best sidewalk views, visit during the day, especially in fall as the leaves of the trees lining the street turn red and yellow.
Travel to Montgomery Place on foot from the subway at Union Street or Grand Army Plaza. Street parking is free, but very limited.
