259 Jefferson Ave

259 Jefferson Avenue was designed in the classic Queen Ann style in 1886 by the prestigious John G. Prague, one of the most prolific Manhattan architects. Prague used a handsome combination of brownstone, brick and terra cotta with a metal cornice. The only Prague townhouses in Brooklyn are on these prime stretches of Jefferson Avenue and Hancock Street in Bedford Stuyvesant — otherwise you'll find Prague's architecture in much of the Upper East and West Sides of Manhattan. With it's high ceilings and grand proportions, 259 Jefferson measures 20' x 50' for a total of 4000+GSF including a 2-story rear extension. The level of detail that remains in this 4-story beauty belies it's noble origins with 6 fireplace mantles, original door and window moldings, decorative plaster ceiling molding, original shutters, built-in pass-through closets, waist-high wainscoting, multiple pocket doors and 2 towering pier mirrors. The impressive entry is an unusual double hallway layout with an outer vestibule and an inner foyer with pier mirror and an ornately wood-trimmed glass door with sidelights separating the "public" area from the inner center hall and stairwell. To the left is the front parlor featuring an extra-wide pier mirror, double bay windows trimmed original woodwork and decorative but stately plaster molding. The overall effect exudes taste and fortune. The rear parlor features an original mantle and over-mantle with beveled mirror and fretwork and original woodwork throughout. 5 of the 6 original mantles, and original woodwork grace the upper and garden floors. And although the home needs some love, it's not hard to envision its original beauty coming back to life. 259 Jefferson is a legal 3-family home ready for it's Cinderella storybook transformation into one of the grandest homes in Bedford Stuyvesant, whether it's utilized as a, 1-, 2-, or 3-family home to suit your needs. It is ideally located in the highly desirable Bedford Historic District between Nostrand and Marcy Avenues, close to the A/C express train stop as well as the Long Island Railroad station. Favorite nearby hotspots include Bunny, Le Paris Dakar, Brooklyn Tea, Alive Herbal, Zabka, Doctor’s Cave Café, Bed-Vyne Brew, Oddly Enough, Peace & Riot, Chicky’s General Store and much, much more. Finally, we would like to pay homage to 259 Jefferson Avenue's original owner, William J. Howard, the namesake of Howard Beach, Brooklyn. Mr. Howard joined his brother's lucrative leather factory in the late 1880s, but he dabbled in his own endeavors. In 1897 he purchased 37 acres of marsh land west of Hawtree Creek, upon which he planned to breed Angora goats that he was about to import from Mexico. He later purchased 120 more acres for his goat farm on meadow land near Aqueduct Racetrack. In 1897, he bought more land and filled it in and the following year, built 18 cottages and opened a hotel near the water, which he operated until it was destroyed by fire in October 1907. He gradually bought more land and formed the Howard Estates Development Company in 1909, finally accumulating 500 acres by 1914. He laid out several streets, water and gas mains, and built 35 houses that were priced $2,500–$5,000. The Long Island Rail Road established a station named Ramblersville in 1905 and a Post Office by the same name opened soon thereafter. A casino, beach, and fishing pier were added in 1915 and the name of the neighborhood was changed to Howard Beach on April 6, 1916.