Bedford Stuyvesant's Hancock Street - an architectural treasure trove

August 16, 1:31 PMBedford-Stuyvesant Architectural ExaminerSuzanne Spellen

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232 Hancock Street, Montrose Morris, architect, 1888

A walk down Hancock Street between Bedford and Tompkins Avenues is an architectural treasure trove. These three blocks contain some of the finest residential brownstone architecture in NYC, designed by some of the late 19th century's finest architects, one of the most important being Montrose Morris. Born in 1861, and raised in Brooklyn, Morris began his business by building his own home, now destroyed, at 234 Hancock, in 1883. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle lavishly praised the grandeur of the home, and Morris frequently entertained Brooklyn’s society, using the house as a marketing and advertising medium

236 - 242 Hancock St. Montrose Morris, architect. 1886.

His success led to the commission of three apartment buildings in the area, with one, the Renaissance, on the corner of Hancock and Nostrand. Morris also turned to his block, between Marcy and Tompkins. Next door he built a lively Queen Anne house, in brick and stone, with balconies, gables, turrets, oriel windows, and stained glass. On the other side he built 236-244, in red brick with terra cotta trim, then 246-252, the most striking group, with the entrances and design elements under a uniting single roofline. Across the street, a mansion for entrepreneur John Kelley followed, and the final group of houses, 255-259, has recessed entryways, ornate trim and stained glass windows.

John C. Kelley Mansion, Montrose Morris, architect, 1880's

The success and beauty of Morris’ work along with other prominent Brooklyn architects, leaves a legacy of fine homes on Hancock. They represent the different styles popular at the end of the century; Neo-Grec, Queen Anne, Romanesque and Renaissance Revival. Many of the homes have striking terra-cotta and carved stone decorative features, stained glass windows, and beautiful doors with fine carving and ornate hardware. Unbroken rows of finely crafted wrought iron fencing and stairways line these blocks of well kept homes, creating a streetscape as fine as any in the city.