Comments on: A Bushwick Maverick Breaks Up the Monotony

By: BIG RED

BIG RED — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:37:29 +0000

I LIVE ON THAT BLOCK… COME CHECK ME ASK 4 RED ILL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING…

By: BornOnWyckoffAve

BornOnWyckoffAve — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:38:40 +0000

Our four-family in Ridgewood was plumbed for gas lighting. The bedroom I shared with my sister even featured a gas fireplace, which had been sealed up since my father was a kid. I covered it in Wacky-Pack stickers.

By: Armstrong

Armstrong — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:16:07 +0000

and thanks FormerRidgewood. the crossover from such major services as gas to electric lighting must have taken a decade or two and must have been interesting policy-wise and for individual property owners to implement.

on another note, there’s a vacant lot on starr between irving and knickerbocker where clearly a building such as the rest on the block was knocked down. any oldtimers have any idea what happened there?

By: derwood

derwood — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:01:11 +0000

i have a six family on grove with the original shaft as well as a dumb waiter..my records show 1931 as well.

By: Armstrong

Armstrong — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:01:01 +0000

Another reason why I always love and appreciate your posts John D! Thanks for the additional info.

By: John Dereszewski

John Dereszewski — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:38:18 +0000

Armstrong, in estimating the construction date of your house, it’s useful to note that what is now Maria Hernandez Park was constructed in 1896. Since this site was previously either vacant or only slightly occupied, it is logical to conclude that the same was true for most of the surrounding area. In fact, one of the park’s purposes was to promote development in the area by creating a valuable amenity. My guess is that most of the brick buildings surrounding the park were built either during or – more likely – after its opening. The same, however, might not have been the case for the wood frame buildings situated, I believe, on Starr. They may have represented the extent of development in that part of the neighborhood prior to the park’s creation. But this is just guesswork.

One last tidbit. According to the NYC Park Dept’s not always accurate website, the land purchased by the city of Brooklyn for the park was owned, in part, by none other than the estate of PT Barnum. I’m sure they did not get a sucker’s price for it.

By: DRESDEN

DRESDEN — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:20:26 +0000

I’m in New Zealand! It’s summer! I was born here! Totally irrelevant!!! Ha ha ha!

By: Armstrong

Armstrong — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:07:55 +0000

Actually the specific law regarding my side of Starr came to pass in 1879. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Law_Tenement

So the buildings on Starr facing the park date from sometime between 1879-1910 at the very latest—probably more like 1879-1905.

By: FormerRidgewoodite

FormerRidgewoodite — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:07:00 +0000

They still installed gas lighting well into the 1910′s in buildings, even after the New Law Tenement laws.
My old building was a typical 6 family house, new law tenement built in 1914 in Ridgewood. It originally only had gas lighting. The buildings are still laced with live gas lines to this day.
All the ceiling fixtures were fed by gas lines. Occasionally whenever someone decided to put up a ceiling fan or something, and accidentally touched the gas lines that were all still up there, you would get the smell of gas, and it would have to be recapped.
It wasn’t until the 1920′s that electric began to replace it. Most of the buildings built in the 1910′s still had gas lighting.

By: Armstrong

Armstrong — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:59:44 +0000

Fascinating history ffgagagg! Can you recall anything about Starr Street from your Bushwick days? My building on the other side of the park dates back to sometime between 1901-1910, yet the records say 1931 as well.

In 1901 the Tenement Act was passed which declared all new apt bldgs must have windows in interior rooms (shaftways in the middle of buildings) and indoor plumbing/bathrooms, among other amenities. It’s interesting legislation.

Also, by 1910 gas lighting was obsolete and wasn’t installed in new bldgs anymore.

My apt has the original shaftway and bathroom, yet there are also defunct gas lines in the walls. I gleaned the approximate construction date from these clues.

Apparently there were several fires at the Dept of Buildings and when records were lost, they just slapped 1931 on the replacement records for whatever reason.