Building of the Day: 38 Garden Place - The Home of the Byrne Family

Name: Row house
Address: 38 Garden Place
Cross Streets: Joralemon and State Streets
Neighborhood: Brooklyn Heights
Year Built: Around 1848, perhaps as early as 1846
Architectural Style: Greek Revival with later alterations
Architect: Unknown
Landmarked: Yes, part of Brooklyn Heights Historic District (1965)

Garden Place, a one block enclave of row houses and small apartment buildings between Hicks and Henry Street was originally called Garden Street.

Philip Livingston – a merchant, a gentleman farmer, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence – owned most of the land making up Brooklyn Heights, and Garden Street was where his large formal garden could be found.

As the 19th century progressed, Livingston’s heirs sold off their land and the garden gave way to the streets and buildings we have today, including this one. Parts of the stone wall that separated the garden from the adjacent orchards still form the back fence of some of the houses on the street.

A Manhattan liquor wholesaler named Owen Byrne was the first owner of this house. The first record of Byrne is in 1846. He was included in a Brooklyn Eagle story detailing the city’s Assessor’s Office effort to collect money from local property owners for a new well on the street. His name and the house also appear in the 1848 city directory.

Byrne was married twice — the second wife was named Anastasia — and between them had seven children: Daniel, Owen G., John, Mary, Alice, Alfred and Anastasia.

Perhaps the presence of seven children explains why the house was renovated and a fifth floor added sometime in the late 1870s or early 1880s.  The renovations added a more ornate aesthetic to the original 1840s house, including heavy hood moldings over the windows and a new entrance. The new upper floors got arched windows with ornate hoods a center keystone, while the lower windows received simpler, but still substantial hoods. The classic shelf motif was echoed in the new pediment over the parlor floor door. The house also was fitted with new railings.

Photo: Nicholas Strini for PropertyShark

The oldest son, Daniel, continued to live at home in to his thirties. He did not marry. According to the newspapers, he was of a “noble physique and handsome features, which were framed in a blond beard.” In 1883, when he was 36, Daniel disappeared for several weeks and returned one night drunk and upset. He assured the family he was fine and went upstairs to bed. The family had been worried about him, as he was no longer working for the tobacco company where he had been employed.  Later that night, Daniel’s younger brother John heard noise coming from Daniel’s room, entered the room and found Daniel with a razor in his hand and blood on the floor.  A doctor was called and, though the bleeding was contained, the next morning Daniel was dead. There had been internal bleeding and he had drowned in his own blood.

Owen Byrne died six years later in 1889, at the age of 85.

The Byrne family stayed in the house for many more years. Mary Byrne, the eldest daughter, became active in social and charitable affairs. She was a gifted singer and musician, and gave musical programs and concerts in the house, as well as at public venues. The money for these events went to different charities. Mary devoted much of her time to at least two different orders of nuns who worked with children and the poor. She continued this work throughout her life.

Alice Byrne, the second daughter, became a Brooklyn debutante. Like her late brother, she was blonde and pretty. The home was mentioned often in Brooklyn’s society pages because of the activities of the two sisters.

Anastasia Byrne lived until 1912. Two years later, the remaining Byrne siblings sold the house and moved as a family to 9 West 68th Street.

Ad: Brooklyn Eagle, 1915

Like many Brooklyn Heights homes in the early part of the century, the house became a rooming house.

Today, 38 Garden Place is in wonderful shape and has three units.

Photo: Google Maps

(Top Photo:Scott Bintner for PropertyShark)