Pierrepont Street and Herman Behr Mansion: Gilded Age Grandeur

Why is it significant?

Stop at the corner of Pierrepont and Henry Streets and admire the breathtaking Romanesque Revival drama of the Herman Behr Mansion.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Stop at the corner of Pierrepont and Henry Streets and admire the breathtaking Romanesque Revival drama of the Herman Behr Mansion. Rising six stories in deep salmon-red Roman brick, richly textured terra-cotta, and rough-faced brownstone trim, this majestic corner residence looks like a castle straight out of the Rhineland. Its dramatic corner turret, arched loggias, steep copper dormers, and carved gargoyle grotesques exemplify the untamed architectural exuberance that swept through New York high society during the late eighteen eighties.

Commissioned in eighteen eighty-eight by industrialist Herman Behr, a wealthy manufacturer of sandpaper and abrasives, the mansion was designed by celebrated architect Frank Freeman. In the early twentieth century, as high society migrated to Manhattan, the property took a colorful turn: it operated as a high-end brothel, was later purchased by Franciscan brothers as a Catholic monastery, and in the nineteen sixties served as a theatrical boarding house frequented by actors, dancers, and bohemian writers. Architect Frank Freeman incorporated playful zoomorphic carvings into every exterior surface, ensuring that the heavy masonry bulk maintained a sense of lively whimsy that captivated passersby and reflected the owner's idiosyncratic industrial wealth.

Look closely at the terra-cotta relief panels wrapping the corner bay windows: master artisans molded intricate animal motifs into the baked clay, including snarling dragons, grinning lions, and coiled serpents guarding the ornamental frieze.

Notice the grand brownstone stoops lining Pierrepont Street: during the nineteenth century, these elevated stone staircases were essential status symbols, lifting elite families above the dust, mud, and horse manure of the unpaved streets. The stately stoop and arched entrance portal continue to evoke the commanding presence of Brooklyn's wealthiest nineteenth-century citizens.

Walk west along Pierrepont Street back to the Promenade for a final spectacular look across the East River.