Few neighborhoods in New York City can equal Brooklyn Heights in the quality and historic significance of its churches, red brick and brownstone row houses and mansions as well as pre-World War II coop apartment buildings. After a steady decline in the 1940s and 50s the Heights, as local residents call it, recovered and is today one of the most sought after and most expensive neighborhoods in New York City.
In 1965 Brooklyn Heights was named the first Historic District by the newly formed Landmarks Preservation Commission of New York City. The Brooklyn Heights Association (BHA), a neighborhood association founded in 1910, had again come through. In 1945 it successfully blocked Robert Moses' plan to build the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) right through Brooklyn Heights. Starting in the early 60s it became apparent that there was increasing need to safeguard the neighborhood from inappropriate new development by real estate developers and the Jehova's Witnesses, who have their world headquarter in Brooklyn Heights.
But let's get going and start our walking tour. If you are a Manhattanite or visitor staying in Manhattan, take the subway, the 2 and 3 to Clark Street, the 4 and 5 to Borough Hall or the M and R to Court Street. Another option is walking over the Brooklyn Bridge, especially nice in late spring and in autumn (summer might be too hot). Just make sure you take the first exit left once you are on the Brooklyn side. Walk down the steps, turn right and walk across the park to Cadman Plaza. Right in front you see a couple of highrise apartment buildings. They are on the edge of the Brooklyn Heights Historic District - not a pretty sight. But lets walk south on Cadman Plaza and take a look at two land mark buildings in Downtown Brooklyn, Borough Hall and the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse building (formerly the General Post Office building).
First on your left is the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, originally designed as a Federal courthouse. It is a Romanesque Revival structure from 1892, with an extension added in 1933. Its historic features include a skylight and an interior atrium with plaster columns. The court rooms have ceiling paintings, mahogany doors, wainscoting and marble floors. In 2001 - 2003 the building was restored and expanded at a total cost of $130 million. It was then renamed the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, albeit most people still call it the General Post Office. Most of the building serves as courthouse, only a small corner is taken up by the local post office branch (with its more than resolute staff). The four original courtrooms were restored to their old glory and three new ones were added. In case you see television crews around: most likely another episode of Law & Order.
As you walk further south try to ignore the huge, ugly concrete building with the small windows on your left. It is another court building commissioned in the 1950s by a city administration without any regard for Brooklyn's historic heritage. In front of you is Brooklyn Borough Hall, originally built as Brooklyn's City Hall. The Plaza is graced by a wonderful cast-iron fountain with a Gothic railing, recreated during the recent restoration of the plaza. Borough Hall originally contained the offices of the Mayor and the City Council of Brooklyn, a court room and a jail. Today it houses the offices of the Brooklyn Borough President. Brooklyn was as a city in 1834 and two years later the cornerstone for the building was laid. And that was about all, because financial problems halted any further construction. Only in 1845 did work resume with a revised and more modest design by Gamaliel King. He was a major architect in New York City, who designed many civic buildings and churches. City Hall opened in 1848 - Brooklyn's answer to Manhattan's city hall. 50 years later, in 1898, Brooklyn was consolidated with New York City and city hall became borough hall. This is an imposing Greek Revival style building clad in Tuckahoe marble with a monumental staircase and an entrance with six Ionic columns supporting the pediment. The original cupola burned in a 1895 fire and was replaced with the present one in 1898 with the statue of Justice on top. The buildings interior rotunda, the stairs and the elaborate courtroom are magnificent. The building and plaza underwent major restoration in the 1980's and is now one of Brooklyn's historic gems again.
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