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| Leverich Towers |
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| Leverich Towers Tower |
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| Leverich Towers Entrance |
Address: 25 Clark Street
Architecture
Built in 1926 as the Leverich Towers Hotel, the sixteen-story building was designed by architecture firm Starrett & Van Vleck. Starrett & Van Vleck are also known for designing the Macy’s building in Downtown Brooklyn, as well as the Lord & Taylor and Sacks Fifth Avenue stores in Manhattan.[1][2] The building is a Romanesque Revival style structure with Venetian influenced towers punctuating the building’s corners. The four colonnaded towers were once lit at night.[3] The architectural embellishments include a visually solid base of ashlar-patterned stone, arched windows, corbeled brick patterns and terracotta ornamentation.
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| Bird's Eye View |
The building was used as accommodations for the Brooklyn Dodgers during home games and at one time a Yidish language radio station was headquartered there.[4] Like many buildings in New York during the 1970s, the hotel fell into disrepair as the city fell on hard times. It was during this period, in 1975, that The Jehovah’s Witnesses purchased the property for less than two million dollars. The religious group converted the former hotel into condos and used the building to house their growing staff employed at their Brooklyn headquarters. Today the building features “295 residential units, a rooftop terrace and lounge, a commercial kitchen, dining rooms, medical offices and a clinic”.[1] And, for only one hundred and forty million dollars it can all be yours. The Jehovah's Witnesses put the building on the market in March.
Jehovah's Witness Real Estate
The Witnesses have been putting their many DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights properties on the market as they prepare to relocate their headquarters to Upstate. They have been in Brooklyn since 1909. Other properties they have unloaded in recent years include the Standish Arms on Columbia Heights for fifty million dollars and the Bossert Hotel on Montague Street for eighty one million dollars. According to Brooklyn Paper the organization is also in the process of putting their main office building on the market.[5]
Sources:
- Leon, Alexandra "Jehovah's Witnesses Selling Historic Brooklyn Heights Hotel" DNA Info 25 May, 2016
- Spellen, Suzanne "Building of the Day: 25 Clark Street" Brownstoner 27 September, 2012
- White, Norval, Willensky, Elliot, and Leadon, Fran AIA Guide to New York. Oxford University Press, 2010
- Scales, Claude "Watchtower Puts Brooklyn Heights Hotel on Market" Brooklyn Heights Blog 25 May, 2016
- Gill, Lauren "Opportunity Knocks! Jehovah's Witnesses Selling Brooklyn Heights Hotel" Brooklyn Paper 26 May, 2016
This summary was a pleasure to read, except for that last sentence. The descriptive, objective reporting fell disappointingly flat.
ReplyDeleteThanks? I'm sorry you didn't like the last sentence. As a designer it's sometimes difficult not to throw in an opinion every now and then, especially regarding the Watchtower since I have to look at it every day.
DeleteI plan to use the Towers Hotel in my latest book on boxing and gambling in 1940/41 that is centered in Brooklyn. You can find my other writings at Amazon Books.
ReplyDeleteNice article Mr. Seamer. One thing I have always tried to remember, don't talk about religion and politics with friends and relatives and I might add anyone that a person wishes to establish a working relationship with.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, very imformative and interesting.
Thanks. I wasn't exactly sure what you meant by the religion and politics comment at first but I am guessing it has something to do with my disdain for the old JW main offices. My comment wasn't meant to be an indictment of the group. It was meant to be a commentary about the building design (I'm an architect). However, I can see that my comment was too vague and could easily be misconstrued. You're the second person to write me about it. So, maybe I'll revise the post later. Thanks for leaving your comment.
DeleteLoved your photos...do you have an Instagram page, and is it okay to re-post your photos with your credit and a link to your website..please let me know. My husband and I had a landscape business in Brooklyn for 35 years and now I am a real estate agent, primarily in Brooklyn. I love all things Brooklyn and try to share interesting photos of the city on my Instagram page marciamelendezrealtor...thanks again.
DeleteTurned out real awesome. It's really wonderful information. Really convinced me.I will be look forward to reading your more post in future.
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Has anyone seen any photos of the Dodgers at The Leverich Towers/21 Clarks Street? They used to stay there in the 1930s and 1940s, but I can't find any photos.
ReplyDelete