Why So Much of Brooklyn Is Rows of Brownstones

Walk down a side street in Park Slope or Bedford-Stuyvesant and the pattern jumps out: block after block of tall, narrow row houses with high front stoops. Many wear a warm brown stone front, which is where the nickname “brownstone” comes from. Most went up in a big building rush between about 1870 and 1910, when Brooklyn was booming and builders filled whole blocks at once. That is why they line up so neatly, often matching house to house.

These homes come in a few looks. You’ll spot Italianate, Queen Anne, and Renaissance Revival styles, sometimes mixed right on the same street. Bed-Stuy holds a notable collection of intact 1800s row houses still standing today.

Brooklyn was also where New York City started protecting old neighborhoods. The Landmarks Preservation Commission designated Brooklyn Heights as a historic district on November 23, 1965. Park Slope followed with its own historic district in 1973. In those areas, exterior changes go through landmarks review, which is one reason the blocks still hold their old rhythm.

For an easy look, wander the streets near Prospect Park in Park Slope, the heart of Bed-Stuy, or the blocks of Brooklyn Heights near the East River. The city’s landmarks maps show which blocks are protected historic districts.