Grand Prospect Hall

Last updated

Prospect Hall
Grand Prospect Hall - 2021 - MICHAEL ROBERTO (lens correction 01).png
Grand Prospect Hall, August 2021
USA New York City location map.svg
Red pog.svg
USA New York location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location263 Prospect Ave., Brooklyn, New York 11215
Coordinates 40°39′50″N73°59′22″W / 40.66389°N 73.98944°W / 40.66389; -73.98944
Area1.5 acres (0.61 ha)
Built1901
ArchitectHuberty, Ulrich J.
Architectural styleFrench Renaissance
NRHP reference No. 99000460
Added to NRHPApril 15, 1999 [1]

Grand Prospect Hall, also known as Prospect Hall, was a large Victorian-style banquet hall at 263 Prospect Avenue in the South Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. It was primarily an event space, hosting weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and high-school proms. The hall was housed in a building that architect Ulrich J. Huberty designed in the French Renaissance style.

Contents

The first Prospect Hall was built in 1892 by local entrepreneur John Kolle. The original structure burned down in 1900 and was replaced by a new building, which opened in 1903. It was operated by the Kolle family through 1940, when John Kolle's son, William, sold the building to a Polish-American organization. Greek-American couple Michael and Alice Halkias bought the hall in 1981 and renovated it, gaining some local celebrity for their cheaply produced television commercials. In 2020, it was sold to contractor Angelo Rigas, who announced plans to demolish and redevelop it, along with adjacent properties. Local activists organized to save the building, but the effort was unsuccessful and Grand Prospect Hall was demolished in February 2022.

Grand Prospect Hall was four stories tall and faced in buff-gray brick, with pressed metal decoration that was originally colored to resemble limestone. The front portion of the building was arranged around a large central staircase and was designed with a bar, a banquet hall, and various reception and parlor rooms. The rear of the building was arranged around the ballroom, which was overlooked by two balcony levels. The basement also had facilities, including a bowling alley. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Original Prospect Hall

Prospect Hall was originally built by local entrepreneur John Kolle, a German immigrant. In 1890, he had built Tivoli Hall, a four-story concert hall in the part of South Brooklyn now known as Park Slope, for restaurateur Charles Feltman. [2] [3] The success of the Tivoli prompted Kolle to plan his own amusement hall. [3] In May 1892, Kolle announced plans for Prospect Hall, which was intended to cater to the German societies and organizations of the area. [3] [4] [5] It was to be located on Prospect Avenue, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, a few blocks from Tivoli Hall. [6] [7] Prospect Hall was constructed at a cost of $130,000 (equivalent to $3,740,000in 2020). [6] [8]

An 1893 report from the Brooklyn Citizen cited the building as measuring 65 by 160 ft (20 by 49 m), [6] while a 1900 report from The New York Times said the building measured 75 by 200 ft (23 by 61 m). [7] The structure contained six bowling alleys, four shooting galleries, a billiard parlor, dining room, and large ballroom. The ballroom featured a large stage and had a seating capacity for 1,000 people. [6] The original Prospect Hall was the first such venue to be equipped with an electric lighting system. [9] The Prospect Heights Athletic Club, a boxing club, formed at Prospect Hall shortly after it opened in November 1892. [10] [11] In its inaugural years, the hall hosted a range of events including plays, [12] boxing tournaments, [10] Knights of Columbus meetings, [13] and fundraisers. [14] John Kolle's son, William D. Kolle, managed the hall. [3] [15] By 1900, Prospect Hall served 55,000 Brooklyn residents who participated in theatrical productions. [16]

On December 11, 1900, two hundred firefighters responded to a major fire at Prospect Hall. [13] [15] While the firefighters stopped the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings, the hall was destroyed. [8] This was in part because, according to The New York Times , the two closest fire hydrants to the hall were frozen over. [7] The bowling alleys on the ground and second floors formed natural flues for the flames and the fire spread very quickly, further aided by wind. [13] While it had steel ceilings and iron girders, the walls were made of Georgia pine, and the stage and flooring of the hall contained flammable material. [13] Only the brick and stone walls of the building were left standing, and they were ordered to be demolished afterward as they were too structurally unstable. [15] [13] The Brooklyn Daily Eagle described the fire as "spectacular", drawing thousands of people to watch. [13] So despondent was John Kolle that he reportedly had to be restrained from jumping into the fire and killing himself, and later had to be looked after and medicated by physicians. [3] [13] The cause was not confirmed, but was suspected to be a lit cigar or cigarette thrown on the floor in one of the second floor dressing rooms near the main hall. [13] The Eagle estimated the damage at over $300,000 (equivalent to $8,719,212in 2022). [13] Many of the hall's German societies lost trophies, keepsakes, and other property in the fire; they all sent letters of sympathy to Kolle. [17] [18]

Reconstructed Prospect Hall

Sketch of the rebuilt Prospect Hall in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in 1901, prior to its construction New Prospect Hall.jpg
Sketch of the rebuilt Prospect Hall in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in 1901, prior to its construction

Kolle ownership

John Kolle quickly decided to rebuild Prospect Hall on the same site and, in June 1901, opened a temporary beer garden next door. [19] The New York City Buildings Department initially refused to grant a permit for the reconstruction because the blueprints included a drinking bar. [20] [21] According to building code, a bar could not operate on the same property as any building with stage facilities and over 300 seats. [21] The owners appealed, and the Brooklyn buildings deputy commissioner indicated that he would approve the plans if the bar and some disallowed decorations were removed. [22] In July 1901, the commissioner voted with the Board of Buildings to reverse his initial decision and approve the new plans. [23] [24]

The rebuilt Prospect Hall opened on February 2, 1903, and was also managed by John Kolle's son, William. [9] [25] Shortly after the hall's reopening, the building nearly caught fire again. A fire started in the Kolle family's adjacent home, nearly killing one of his daughters. [26] [27] Worried it would spread to the hall, the fire department sent an extra fire engine to help control it. While they successfully prevented damage to the hall, the house was destroyed. Firefighters had difficulty getting a sufficient stream of water due to a large eel which made its way into a fire hose, clogging it. [26] [27]

In its early years, according to the New York Times' Christopher Gray, spaces like Prospect Hall "sounded the heartbeat of the city" by hosting a variety of public and private events. [16] It hosted political events like a rally held by William Randolph Hearst in 1906, a debate in 1907, an event featuring William Jennings Bryan in 1908, and a gathering in support of local subway service which drew 3,500 people. [16] Many international celebrities held performances there, like opera star Enrico Caruso, Lena Horne, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, and others. [28] In 1911, singer and comedian Sophie Tucker performed. [28] Al Capone was known to have a box at the hall. [29] [30] The venue also hosted meetings for politicians and club leaders, [9] [31] with certain nights devoted to annual balls in honor of several leaders. [32] Organizations such as the Brooklyn Quartet Club and Brooklyn Rifle Club were also housed in the building. [16]

To the west of the main building, the Hour Motion Picture Theatre opened in 1910. The space to the east was converted into a Venetian garden in 1913 and was used for movie screenings. [28] According to the New Yorker, it became one of the first film production lots in the world after one of John Kolle's sons, Herman Kolle, founded the Crescent Film Company with Fred J. Balshofer and began making movies for nickelodeons. [33] Old advertisements for Prospect Hall described the "high-class motion pictures and vaudeville" that were displayed every night, as well as "country butcher shops" on Tuesdays and "safe and sane" Independence Day events every July 4. [16] Over the years, the frequency of high-profile events at Prospect Hall, including political meetings, decreased. [32] It continued to be used for events such as an October 1929 debate between mayor Jimmy Walker and ex-governor Al Smith, [34] as well as Works Progress Administration productions during the 1930s. [16] The main ballroom was used for vaudeville and movie screenings during the summer between 1936 and 1940. [28]

White Eagle ownership

William L. Kolle, son of William D. Kolle, [35] sold the building in 1940 to the White Eagle Society, a group formed by Polish immigrants. [28] [36] White Eagle converted it into a Polish-American community center. [32] [37] The organization repainted and repaired the building by 1949. [32] Prospect Hall was used by fraternal societies and labor unions throughout this time. The immediate vicinity began to decline in the 1950s, following the construction of the Prospect Expressway immediately across the street. [16]

White Eagle started to sell off some decorations by the 1960s to pay for repairs. [16] [28] By then, Prospect Hall hosted occasional boxing matches. [28] The building, at that point known as the Polish Community Center, was renovated in 1970. [38] The United Polish Societies of South Brooklyn called it their headquarters as of 1971, meeting one evening a month. [39] Dances and concerts were also hosted in Prospect Hall until the 1970s. [36] It was completely shuttered by 1981, at which point it had deteriorated so much that there were barrels throughout the space to catch rain from the leaking roof. The ground-floor restaurant saw little business but continued to operate nevertheless. [16]

Halkias ownership

People dancing during the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival, a Balkan cultural event Zlatne Uste Golden Festival Grand Prospect Hall photo by Clement Thiery.jpg
People dancing during the Zlatne Uste Golden Festival, a Balkan cultural event

Greek-American couple Michael and Alice Halkias bought the hall in 1981. [40] [8] Michael Halkias was born in Pittsburgh and grew up in Greece and Syria before coming back to the United States in 1966. [41] He was a former real estate agent, travel agent, and employment agent who helped Greek people immigrate to the United States. [41] He also worked in radio, advertising, and publishing before purchasing the hall. [42] Under the Halkiases' ownership, Prospect Hall was renamed Grand Prospect Hall. [36] The couple renovated the hall in a piecemeal fashion over the following 18 years, with a staff of 30 to 90 restorers. Michael Halkias chose to redesign the main ballroom in "happy colors" rather than the original paint scheme, with carvings of fruit in different colors based on what he shouted to the painters. Brownstoner wrote that "the Halkias' never met gilding and ostentation that they didn't like". [43] Michael also attempted to clean the facade several times, but ultimately decided to paint it in 1998. He recovered the original murals after a chance encounter while waiting in line at a bank in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, when a stranger mentioned that he had purchased them. [16]

In 1983, Borough President Howard Golden proclaimed March 10 to be an annual "Grand Prospect Hall Day" in Brooklyn. [44] Starting in 1986, the Halkiases gained a measure of local fame for producing and starring in cheaply shot commercials for the hall which aired regularly on local television. [45] The ads contained various shots of the interior spaces, showing events held there, set to orchestral music, with a sales pitch from the Halkiases typically including a phrase which became associated with them: "We make your dreams come true!" [46] The tagline, according to Brooklyn Paper , is "instantly recognizable to any New Yorker who owned a television set." [47] The commercials have been parodied on both Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Saturday Night Live . [48] [49] [46] Kimmel paired the Halkiases with Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, spoofing the commercials. Kimmel was quoted in The New York Times saying "If you live in New York, and if you've ever owned a television, you've probably seen these commercials," joking that they "are wonderful, but they've been running the same ones for 125 years." [42]

In 1999, Grand Prospect Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The listing describes the hall as "probably the largest and best-preserved example of its type, the Victorian assembly hall set within a great ethnic community facility, remaining in the country". [50] However, NRHP status does not restrict what non-federal owners can do with a property. At the time, the building was not granted official city landmark status from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), which would grant protections from redevelopment. [46] In 2001, the Halkiases reopened the original bar on the first floor after restoring it. [36]

The Halkiases proposed new construction on the property in 2011: an eleven-story building including a hotel and large parking garage. [41] Local residents objected to the development on the grounds the new building would block sunlight. The Halkiases distributed flyers to convince people it was out of necessity, to continue focusing on nicer events rather than open up their venue to cheap, high-volume functions. [33] The flyers upset some neighbors, who viewed it as a threat, while Michael Halkias described it as an economic necessity. [51] [52] The request for a zoning exception was not approved. [33]

The hall was primarily an event space, hosting weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, corporate events and high-school proms. [36] The Halkiases rented the building as a filming location for films, TV shows, and commercials including The Cotton Club , Prizzi’s Honor , The Royal Tenenbaums, Gossip Girl , and season three of Twin Peaks. [53] [46] It has also hosted events such as Flame Con, an LGBTQ comic book convention, [46] and the rock band Arcade Fire held an Everything Now album release concert there for 1,500 fans. [54] [55]

Sale to Rigas

The hall covered in scaffolding in September 2021 Scaffolding 2021 Grand Prospect Hall.jpg
The hall covered in scaffolding in September 2021

Business suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Grand Prospect Hall closed in March 2020. Two months later, on May 6, Michael Halkias died at the age of 82 due to complications from COVID-19. [42] In June 2021, the building was sold, along with eleven other adjacent properties, to contractor Angelo Rigas for $30 million. [46] [56] The interior was largely auctioned off before the sale was announced, with some of the decorations and fixtures sold to other local businesses and antiques sellers. [33]

On August 19, 2021, the Brooklyn Paper reported that Rigas, through Gowanus Cubes LLC, had filed permits to demolish the properties, including Grand Prospect Hall. [47] [57] Local activists began a petition to try to save the building from demolition and asked the LPC to hold hearings for landmark status. [46] The petition gained 40,000 supporters, including city councilman Brad Lander, who described it as "a site of many memories and melodies for generations of Brooklynites". [58] A judge issued an injunction to halt demolition in early September 2021, since a demolished building could not be considered for landmark status. [59] However, the LPC refused to hold a hearing to consider the building for landmark status, since the exterior had been too extensively modified from its original design. [58] [60] Among the LPC's reasons for denying the request were that the fourth-floor pediment had been removed, the frieze above ground level had been modified, and the entrance portico had been enclosed. [61] Much of the interior had also been demolished already. [58]

The demolition permits were approved in November 2021, though at that time there was not a concrete timeline for it to move forward. [62] Brooklyn Magazine reported in February 2022 that it would be replaced with a five-story residential building. [63] The demolition was completed by February 25, 2022. [64]

Building

The later building was designed in the French Renaissance style by architect Ulrich J. Huberty, who also designed the Prospect Park Boathouse and Tennis House. The building carried the address 263 Prospect Avenue. [65] [66] Grand Prospect Hall faces the Prospect Expressway (NY 27) to the south. [65] Originally, there was a beer garden around the building, which may have contained a Ferris wheel as well as an "electric tower", but these were removed around 1914. [65]

Facade

The building was four stories tall and faced in buff-gray brick, with pressed metal decoration that was originally colored to resemble limestone. [65] [67] The windows were surmounted by pediments, while the top of the building had a cornice with a sculpted pediment in the center. The first floor was designed with storefronts, as well as an entrance with columns at the center; these were subsequently modified. [65]

It was designed with a frontage of 75 ft (23 m) and a depth of 215 ft (66 m). [68] [69] A one-story annex continued east of the main structure. The side and rear facades were clad with brick and did not contain any ornamentation, while the roofs of the building were flat. [65]

Features

People in the ballroom during a Tito Nieves performance in March 2019 Tito Bieves Live - Salsa - Grand Prospect Hall BK NYC 2019 light.jpg
People in the ballroom during a Tito Nieves performance in March 2019

Grand Prospect Hall could fit 8,000 people in total, or 5,925 people when used as a dining venue. [28] Covering 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2), it had several rooms including a garden area and a large ballroom. [66] Grand Prospect Hall featured the first Otis bird cage elevator in New York and was the first fully electrified public building in Brooklyn. [43] The elevator cab was constructed like a cage and was wrapped by a staircase on the western side of the building. [70] The basement was also designed with a bowling alley, a billiard room, a kitchen, and a laundry. [68] [69] The bowling alley was divided into two sections and had fourteen lanes in total, though the bowling alley was long abandoned by 1999. [71] Electric dynamos, engines, and boilers were installed beneath the sidewalk. [68] [69] There was also a roof garden. [16]

The front portion of the building was arranged around a large central staircase. [65] The main entrance was designed with an entryway measuring 18 ft (5.5 m) wide. [68] [69] The central staircase, made of cast iron with marble treads, connected the entrance foyer with a two-story-high hallway on an upper level. At the first landing was a pair of decorative box offices. [70] The first floor of the front portion was designed with a restaurant, club room, "Alt Deutsche" beer hall, bar room, and women's parlor. [68] [69] The bar, east of the main staircase, had an oak countertop as well as a plaster and marble bar. [71] There was also a banquet hall measuring 60 by 80 ft (18 by 24 m), which was spanned by large steel girders. The second floor of the front portion had a cafe, loggias, cloak rooms, and women's parlor. The third floor had more reception and cloak rooms and other women's parlors. The fourth floor had two elaborately decorated lodge rooms with auxiliary spaces, anterooms, and preparation rooms. [68] [69]

The rear of the building was arranged around the ballroom, which was at the top of the staircase. [28] [72] Measuring 68 by 125 ft (21 by 38 m) across by 40 ft (12 m) tall, [68] [69] The ballroom was variously cited as containing 1,500 [73] or 1,700 seats. [28] Two levels overlooked the space: [28] [73] a lower balcony and an upper gallery, both accessed by marble stairs. [68] [69] Both of these levels were supported on marble columns and surround the ballroom on all sides except the front. [68] [69] [70] They had decorative elements such as garlands and cartouches. The balcony consisted of a set of theater boxes that are sloped slightly downward to the front of Grand Prospect Hall. [70] It was designed with 26 private boxes and four larger proscenium boxes. [68] [69] The gallery had a steeper downward rake and contained wooden benches and plaster rails. The ceiling was mostly flat, though it was surrounded by a cove. [70] The central dome, which contained direct and indirect lighting, was 35 ft (11 m) across. [68] [69] The rear of the ballroom, near the northern end, had a stage inside a plaster proscenium, which in turn had a cornice atop it. [70] There were auxiliary spaces, such as dressing rooms, adjacent to the stage. [68] [69] [70]

A one-story wing extended east of the main hall and was added not long after Grand Prospect Hall's rebuilding in 1902. Known as the rathskeller, it had been used as a restaurant since its opening. The walls of the rathskeller contained decorated oak paneling, canvas murals, and a tin ceiling. [70]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prospect Park (Brooklyn)</span> Public park in Brooklyn, New York

Prospect Park is an urban park in Brooklyn, New York City. The park is situated between the neighborhoods of Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Flatbush, and Windsor Terrace, and is adjacent to the Brooklyn Museum, Grand Army Plaza, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. With an area of 526 acres (213 ha), Prospect Park is the second largest public park in Brooklyn, behind Marine Park. Designated as a New York City scenic landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Prospect Park is operated by the Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooklyn Museum</span> Art museum in Brooklyn, New York

The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet (52,000 m2), the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 500,000 objects. Located near the Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Flatbush, and Park Slope neighborhoods of Brooklyn, the museum's Beaux-Arts building was designed by McKim, Mead & White.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Park Slope</span> Neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City

Park Slope is a neighborhood in northwestern Brooklyn, New York City, within the area once known as South Brooklyn. Park Slope is roughly bounded by Prospect Park and Prospect Park West to the east, Fourth Avenue to the west, Flatbush Avenue to the north, and Prospect Expressway to the south. Generally, the section from Flatbush Avenue to Garfield Place is considered the "North Slope", the section from 1st to 9th Street is considered the "Center Slope", and south from 9th Street, the "South Slope". The neighborhood takes its name from its location on the western slope of neighboring Prospect Park. Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue are its primary commercial streets, while its east–west side streets are lined with brownstones and apartment buildings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dreamland (Coney Island, 1904)</span> Former amusement park in Brooklyn, New York

Dreamland was an amusement park in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City, United States, which operated from 1904 to 1911. It was the last of the three original large parks built on Coney Island, along with Steeplechase Park and Luna Park. The park was between Surf Avenue to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It was arranged roughly as a horseshoe, with a pier facing south toward the Atlantic Ocean. Dreamland contained several attractions that were larger versions of those at Luna Park, and it included a human zoo, several early roller coasters, a Shoot the Chutes ride, and a replica of Venice. Dreamland also hosted entertainment and dramatic spectacles based on morality themes. Several structures, such as the Pompeiian, Electricity, and Submarine Boat buildings, were dedicated to exhibits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn</span> Neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City

Windsor Terrace is a small residential neighborhood in the central part of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It is bounded by Prospect Park on the east and northeast, Park Slope at Prospect Park West, Green-Wood Cemetery, and Borough Park at McDonald Avenue on the northwest, west, and southwest, and Kensington at Caton Avenue on the south. As of the 2010 United States Census, Windsor Terrace had 20,988 people living within its 0.503-square-mile (1.30 km2) area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prospect Heights, Brooklyn</span> Neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City

Prospect Heights is a neighborhood in the northwest of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The traditional boundaries are Flatbush Avenue to the west, Atlantic Avenue to the north, Eastern Parkway – beginning at Grand Army Plaza – to the south, and Washington Avenue to the east. In the northern section of Prospect Heights are the Vanderbilt Rail Yards, built over as part of the Pacific Park project. The Barclays Center, home to the NBA's Brooklyn Nets basketball team, is located in the northwestern corner of the neighborhood in Pacific Park at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steeplechase Park</span> Former amusement park in New York City

Steeplechase Park was a 15-acre (6.1 ha) amusement park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. Steeplechase Park was created by entrepreneur George C. Tilyou in 1897 and operated until 1964. It was the first of the three large amusement parks built on Coney Island, the other two being Luna Park (1903) and Dreamland (1904). Of the three, Steeplechase was the longest-lasting, running for 67 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prospect Park Zoo</span> Zoo in Brooklyn, New York

The Prospect Park Zoo is a 12-acre (4.9 ha) zoo located off Flatbush Avenue on the eastern side of Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City. As of 2016, the zoo houses 864 animals representing about 176 species, and as of 2007, it averages 300,000 visitors annually. The Prospect Park Zoo is operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). In conjunction with the Prospect Park Zoo's operations, the WCS offers children's educational programs, is engaged in restoration of endangered species populations, runs a wildlife theater, and reaches out to the local community through volunteer programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hotel St. George</span> Building in Brooklyn, New York

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manhattan Municipal Building</span> Office skyscraper in Manhattan, New York

The David N. Dinkins Municipal Building is a 40-story, 580-foot (180 m) building at 1 Centre Street, east of Chambers Street, in the Civic Center neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. The structure was built to accommodate increased governmental space demands after the 1898 consolidation of the city's five boroughs. Construction began in 1909 and continued through 1914 at a total cost of $12 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gage and Tollner</span> Restaurant in Brooklyn, New York

Gage and Tollner is an American cuisine restaurant on 372–374 Fulton Street in the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City. Named for its initial proprietors, Charles Gage and Eugene Tollner, the restaurant occupies the lowest two stories of a converted four-story brownstone residence. The restaurant building, dating from the mid-1870s, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its facade and interior are New York City designated landmarks. As of 2021, St. John Frizell, Sohui Kim, and Ben Schneider operate the restaurant, with Kim as the head chef.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Street Campus</span>

The Grand Street Campus is a building used as the home for three high schools in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City. The current building at 850 Grand Street opened in 1981; its identity as the Grand Street Campus dates to 1996. It is currently the home of The High School for Enterprise, Business and Technology, PROGRESS High School for Professional Careers, and the East Williamsburg Scholars Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooklyn Union Gas Company Headquarters</span> Historic building in Brooklyn, New York

The Brooklyn Union Gas Company Headquarters, also known as 176 Remsen Street, is a historic building in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, New York City. Designed by Brooklyn architect Frank Freeman in the neoclassical style, it was completed in 1914 as the headquarters of the Brooklyn Union Gas Company. The structure was part of the St. Francis College campus from 1963 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Regiment Armory</span> Armory in Brooklyn, New York

The 14th Regiment Armory, also known as the Eighth Avenue Armory and the Park Slope Armory, is a historic National Guard armory building located on Eighth Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets in the South Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, United States. The building is a brick and stone castle-like structure, and designed to be reminiscent of medieval military structures in Europe. It was built in 1891–95 and was designed in the Late Victorian style by William A. Mundell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domino Sugar Refinery</span> Former refinery in Brooklyn, New York

The Domino Sugar Refinery is a mixed-use development and former sugar refinery in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York City, along the East River. When active as a refinery, it was operated by the Havemeyer family's American Sugar Refining Company, which produced Domino brand sugar and was one of several sugar factories on the East River in northern Brooklyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Library (Brooklyn Public Library)</span> Historic building in Brooklyn, New York

The Central Library, originally the Ingersoll Memorial Library, is the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library in Brooklyn, New York City. Located on Grand Army Plaza, at the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway, it contains over 1.7 million materials in its collection and has a million annual visitors. The current structure was designed by the partnership of Alfred Morton Githens and Francis Keally in the Art Deco style, replacing a never-completed Beaux-Arts structure designed by Raymond Almirall. The building is a New York City designated landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shore Theater</span>

The Shore Theater is a former theater in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. The seven-story neo-Renaissance Revival building, with office space as well as a theater, is located at the intersection of Surf and Stillwell Avenues, across from Nathan's Famous and the Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue station. Completed in 1925, it was one of several structures that was intended to boost the development of Coney Island as a year-round entertainment destination. After being abandoned in the 1970s, it stood unused for several years before being redeveloped into a hotel in the late 2010s; however, as of 2022, the building is still closed and undergoing construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concert Grove</span> Prospect Park sculpture garden

The Concert Grove is a section of Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City, that historically functioned as an outdoor music venue. It still serves as a sculpture garden lined with busts of musical figures, largely put up by German American Sängerfest participants and other cultural groups. The Concert Grove also includes the Concert Grove Pavilion, formerly known as the Oriental Pavilion, and adjoins a Lincoln sculpture facing the lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Offerman Building</span> Building in Brooklyn, New York

The Offerman Building is a historic commercial building at 503–513 Fulton Street in the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood of New York City. Designed by Danish architect Peter J. Lauritzen in the Romanesque Revival style, the eight-story building was built between 1890 and 1892 to house the S. Wechsler & Brother department store. Although the lower stories remain in commercial use, the upper stories were converted into a 121-unit residential complex in the 2010s. The building is a New York City designated landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building (175 Broadway)</span> Historic bank building in Brooklyn, New York

The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building, also known as the Weylin and 175 Broadway, is a former bank building at 175 Broadway in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City. Constructed as the headquarters of the Williamsburgh Savings Bank in 1875 and subsequently expanded several times, it occupies the northwest corner of Broadway and Driggs Avenue, just south of the Williamsburg Bridge. The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Building was designed in the Classical Revival style by George B. Post, with interiors by Peter B. Wight.

References

  1. "National Register of Historic Places 1999 Weekly Lists" (PDF). National Park Service. 1999. p. 47. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  2. "Tivoli Hall Wrecked; Speedy Destruction by Flames in South Brooklyn. Tenants of Flats Had to Hurry Out Fall of the Cupola That Crowned the Roof of the Place of Amusement -- Street-Car Traffic Interrupted". The New York Times . March 13, 1895. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 National Park Service 1999 , p. 9.
  4. "We're Booming". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . May 18, 1892. p. 6. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  5. "Realty Matters". The Brooklyn Citizen. May 19, 1892. p. 5. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "South Brooklyn; Happenings of the Past Week in This Section". The Brooklyn Citizen. January 1, 1893. p. 14. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 "Prospect Hall Burned". The New York Times . December 12, 1900. p. 10. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 Bush, Christine (January 8, 2013). "Did You Know? Prospect Hall Burned Down in 1900". Bklyner . Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 "Prospect Hall Scene of Many Big Rallies". Times Union. November 14, 1927. p. 86. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Prospect Heights Athletic Club". Brooklyn Standard Union . November 25, 1892. p. 3. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  11. "Everything Was a Draw". The Sun. November 28, 1892. p. 6. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  12. "'The Golden Spider'". Times Union. May 12, 1893. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Prospect Hall Burned; Loss Over $300,000". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . December 11, 1900. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  14. "A Cup for Pigeon Shots". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . November 26, 1892. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  15. 1 2 3 "Prospect Hall Burned: Flames Leave the Walls Unsafe and Their Removal Is Begun at Once". New-York Tribune. December 12, 1900. p. 4. ProQuest   570891331. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Gray, Christopher (January 10, 1999). "Streetscapes / Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn; Colorful Restoration of a 1903 Ballroom/Concert Hall". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  17. "Losses at Prospect Hall". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . December 13, 1900. p. 13. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  18. "German Societies' Losses". Times Union. December 13, 1900. p. 4. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  19. "New Prospect Hall Open". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . June 21, 1901. p. 20. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  20. "Prospect Hall Bar". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . June 9, 1901. p. 48. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  21. 1 2 "Question of Prospect Hall Rebuilding". The Brooklyn Citizen. June 8, 1901. p. 1. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  22. "Bar Proves a Barrier". Brooklyn Standard Union . June 12, 1901. p. 5. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  23. "Guilfoyle Reverses Himself". Times Union. June 28, 1901. p. 4. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  24. "New Prospect Hall". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . July 13, 1901. p. 5. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  25. "Prospect Hall Opened". Brooklyn Standard Union . February 3, 1903. p. 8. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  26. 1 2 "Girl Unconscious in Burning Building". Times Union. February 21, 1903. p. 4. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  27. 1 2 "Miss Kolle Near to Death". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . February 21, 1903. p. 1. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn, NY". Cinema Treasures . February 3, 1903. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  29. Tomasson, Robert (October 11, 1987). "Social Events - The New York Times". go.gale.com. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  30. Carlson, Jen (January 12, 2011). "Sleep Next Door To Where Al Capone Received His "Scarface"". Gothamist . Archived from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  31. "Old Prospect Hall, Scene Of Many a Historic Event". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . August 26, 1938. p. 30. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  32. 1 2 3 4 Mara, Margaret (April 18, 1949). "Boomdeeay Back In Prospect Hall". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . p. 11. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  33. 1 2 3 4 Ames, Michael (December 15, 2021). "Why Did the Grand Prospect Hall Have to Die?". The New Yorker . Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  34. "5,000 Wildly Cheer Walker At Prospect Hall Rally". Times Union. October 27, 1929. p. 82. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  35. "Mrs. Emma Kolle". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . June 25, 1936. p. 17. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021 via Newspapers.com.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 Cardwell, Diane (January 1, 2001). "Palatial Ballroom Evokes Memories Of a Bygone Era; Lovingly Restored Monument To City Dance-Hall Tradition". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  37. National Park Service 1999 , p. 10.
  38. "Polka, Anyone?". New York Daily News . October 28, 1970. p. 339. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  39. "Polish Groups Looking Ahead For an Angel". New York Daily News . October 24, 1971. p. 89. Archived from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  40. "Grand Prospect Park Hall Owner Dies". Spectrum News NY1 | New York City. May 7, 2020. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  41. 1 2 3 Berger, Joseph (April 9, 2011). "Catering Hall's Plan for a Hotel Upsets the Neighbors". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  42. 1 2 3 Randle, Aaron (May 24, 2020). "Michael Halkias, Who Promised Wish Fulfillment at Banquet Hall, Dies at 82". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  43. 1 2 Morris), Suzanne Spellen (aka Montrose (September 7, 2021). "Entertaining Brooklyn: The History of Grand Prospect Hall". Brownstoner Magazine . Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  44. "The Grand Prospect Hall: Brooklyn's Jewel". Hellenic News of America. April 19, 2012. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  45. Cunningham, Jennifer; Fanelli, James (January 13, 2011). "Grand Prospect Hall's penchant for cheesy ads pays off for owners raking in the dough". New York Daily News . Tribune Publishing. Archived from the original on March 4, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wong, Ashley (August 26, 2021). "The Dream May Be Over for the Grand Prospect Hall". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  47. 1 2 "GRAND PROSPECT HALL SLATED FOR THE WRECKING BALL". The Brooklyn Paper . August 19, 2021. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  48. Schwartz, Ryan (February 17, 2019). "Don Cheadle Hosts SNL: Watch Video of the Best & Worst Sketches". TVLine . Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2019. The cutaways to Cheadle (whose employee served as chef, photographer and DJ) were the best part of this commercial parody for the Grand Prospect Hall wannabe.
  49. "Don Cheadle/Gary Clark Jr.". Saturday Night Live . Season 44. Episode 4413. February 16, 2019. NBC.
  50. National Park Service 1999 , p. 11.
  51. Buiso, Gary (January 13, 2011). "'Grand' Threat? Hotel Plan Includes Not-So-Subtle Warning". The Brooklyn Paper . Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  52. Buiso, Gary (January 11, 2011). "Ain't it 'Grand'? Prospect Hall plans 11-story hotel • Brooklyn Paper". The Brooklyn Paper . Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  53. "Grand Prospect Hall – New York City's premier historic filming location". Archived from the original on September 17, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  54. Gill, Lauren (July 25, 2017). "Rock band releases album at Slope's gilded Grand Prospect Hall • Brooklyn Paper". The Brooklyn Paper . Archived from the original on September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  55. Carlson, Jen (July 28, 2017). "Videos: Inside Arcade Fire's Intimate Concert At Brooklyn's Grand Prospect Hall". Gothamist . Archived from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  56. "Grand Prospect Hall Sold in $30M Park Slope Assemblage". The Real Deal New York . July 15, 2021. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  57. "Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn Scheduled to Be Demolished". The Real Deal New York . August 20, 2021. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  58. 1 2 3 "City Won't Landmark Brooklyn's Grand Prospect Hall". The Real Deal New York . September 15, 2021. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  59. "Brooklyn Judge Pauses Grand Prospect Hall Demolition". The Real Deal New York . September 2, 2021. Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  60. Stein, Mark D. (September 15, 2021). "Grand Prospect Hall's 'imminent demolition' likely as landmark status denied, report says". silive. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  61. Verde, Ben (September 14, 2021). "Grand Prospect Hall Denied Landmark Status". The Brooklyn Paper . Archived from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  62. McShane, Julianne (November 9, 2021). "Bittersweet Memories of Grand Prospect Hall". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  63. "Surprising no one, Grand Prospect Hall is indeed being replaced by condos". Brooklyn Magazine . February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  64. Brachfeld, Ben (February 25, 2022). "On 'Fittingly Bleak Day,' Grand Prospect Hall Is Officially No More". The Brooklyn Paper . Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  65. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 National Park Service 1999 , p. 3.
  66. 1 2 Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. (2010). The Encyclopedia of New York City (2nd ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press. p. 545. ISBN   978-0-300-11465-2.
  67. Craig Morrison (September 1998). "National Register of Historic Places Registration:Prospect Hall". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2011.See also: "Accompanying 10 photos". Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
  68. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "New Prospect Hall". Times Union. October 19, 1901. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021. PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  69. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "New Prospect Hall". Brooklyn Daily Eagle . October 19, 1901. p. 17. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021. PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  70. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 National Park Service 1999 , p. 4.
  71. 1 2 National Park Service 1999 , p. 5.
  72. National Park Service 1999 , pp. 3–4.
  73. 1 2 Freudenheim, Ellen (1999). Brooklyn!, 2nd Edition: The Ultimate Guide to New York's Most Happening Borough. St. Martin's Press. p. 247. ISBN   978-0-312-20446-4. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.

Bibliography