Imperial Apartments facts for kids
The Imperial Apartments is a beautiful and historic building located at 1198 Pacific Street. You can find it in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. It was built in 1892 and designed by a famous architect named Montrose Morris.
The Imperial Apartments: A Historic Home
The Imperial Apartments building looks like a grand old palace! It was designed in a style called Renaissance Revival. This means it looks like buildings from the Renaissance period, which was a time of great art and learning in Europe. The architect, Montrose Morris, used special yellow and buff bricks and a material called terra cotta to make it look fancy and fit right into the neighborhood.
Why Were Apartments Built?
Back in 1892, most middle-class families in New York City lived in single-family homes called row houses. These were houses built side-by-side in a long row. But times were changing! More and more people started to think it was okay, and even cool, for families to live in apartment buildings. The Imperial Apartments were built to be a high-quality place for families to live, showing off this new way of life.
Becoming a Protected Landmark
In the 1970s, the city of New York took ownership of the building. This happened because of unpaid taxes. But the story didn't end there! In 1986, the Imperial Apartments became a special "landmark." This means the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission decided it was an important building. It needed to be protected because of its history and unique design. In the 1990s, the building got a huge makeover. This big renovation helped bring it back to life and make it a wonderful place to live once more.
