Prospect Heights Historic District

The area north of Prospect Park, now called Prospect Heights, developed from rural farmland in the mid-nineteenth century into one of the city's most attractive residential neighborhoods. Spurred by the creation of the park and improvements to transportation, house development in the neighborhood was primarily in the form of single-family row houses and apartment dwellings.

The most prevalent row house styles in the neighborhood are Romanesque Revival, which was popular in the 1880s and 1890s, and the Renaissance Revival, built from 1880 to 1910. The buildings of the historic district are articulated in a variety of architectural styles, including neo-Grec, Queen Anne, and Second Empire. The six apartment buildings on 573-583 Bergen Street were designed by Walter M. Coots in 1889. These Queen Anne style structures feature Philadelphia brick with brownstone trim, and decorative brick spandrel panels. Other prominent Brooklyn architects, including the Parfitt brothers, Nelson Whipple, Benjamin Driesler, and Axel Hedman, are also well-represented in the area.

Prospect Heights is an exceptionally well-preserved area of Brooklyn. The character of the neighborhood and its tree-lined streets have been relatively unaffected by change, and the buildings of the district largely retain their historic residential use. ©2014