Broken Angel House facts for kids
The Broken Angel or the Broken Angel house was a very unique building in Clinton Hill, New York. It was located at 4/6 Downing Street. This special house was even shown in the movie Dave Chappelle's Block Party. Sadly, the building was taken down in 2014.
What it Looked Like
Artists Arthur and Cynthia Wood owned the building for 27 years. During this time, Arthur built many creative parts onto the top of the house. He even had a special room called a camera obscura up high. Another room looked like it was floating in the air!
Inside, the house felt like a huge cathedral. It had tall arches and colorful "stained glass windows." These windows were not made from regular stained glass. Instead, they were created using pieces of old bottles and other glass.
Its History
Arthur Wood, an artist from Brooklyn, bought the original four-story brick building in 1979 for only $2,000. He lived there with his wife, Cynthia, and they raised their son, Christopher. Arthur loved to explore new ideas in building design. He kept adding new floors and rooms to the house in his own unique way.
Over time, the building grew to be 104 feet tall, which is about nine stories high! People often compared it to the Watts Towers in Los Angeles. Both places are famous for their unusual, self-built designs. The Broken Angel house was seen as an important piece of folk art and a part of the area's cultural heritage.
On October 10, 2006, a fire happened at the house. Because of the fire, the city said the building was unsafe. Arthur and Cynthia were told they had to leave. A few days later, police came and blocked off the street. Arthur did not want to leave his home, so he stayed inside. He was arrested for not following the order. Cynthia was also arrested outside with their dog. Arthur and Cynthia were held by the police for many hours. After this, they had to live in their car outside their own house during the cold winter months.
In January 2007, there was a plan to fix up Broken Angel. Arthur Wood teamed up with a local builder named Shahn Christian Andersen. The idea was to make the building into apartments and art spaces. However, these plans were never finished. The Woods faced problems with their bank, and Cynthia became very sick. They tried hard to get their house back, but it was a difficult time. Cynthia Wood passed away at 72 years old.
When it was Taken Down
In January 2009, Arthur Wood put the house up for sale for $4 million. Banks also started legal actions because of unpaid building loans. In January 2014, a builder named Alex Barrett bought the property for $4.1 million. He planned to build new apartments there.
The demolition of the Broken Angel house started in April 2014. By May 2014, the entire unique structure was completely gone.
Seen in Movies
The Broken Angel House had a small part in the movie Dave Chappelle's Block Party.
Images for kids
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The Broken Angel House in May, 2007.
