Real Estate Ditmas Park

Five fab spots to see in landmarked Prospect Park South

Eye on Real Estate: Developer Dean Alvord invented the neighborhood

March 20, 2019 Lore Croghan

Stroll with us through the Prospect Park South Historic District. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

Which way to the Japanese House?

Meet the belle of the ball, aka 104 Buckingham Road. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

Such a pretty pair, these two.

They’re situated on the shortest street in the Prospect Park South Historic District — Buckingham Road.

On one side of the street, there’s a grand, old-fashioned mansion with two-story Ionic columns flanking the front door. On the other side of the street, there’s the beloved Japanese House, as it’s nicknamed.

The mansion with the columns, which is 104 Buckingham Rd., was designed in 1901 by an architect on Alvord’s staff named Carroll H. Pratt.

The last time the house was sold, which was 2008, the price was $1.85 million, city Finance Department records show.

This is 131 Buckingham Road, whose nickname is the Japanese House. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

The wood and stucco Japanese House, at 131 Buckingham Rd., resembles a pagoda.

Alvord had the unusual house designed as a three-dimensional advertising tool to promote the neighborhood. It was featured in a 1903 ad in a magazine called Country Life in America.

Architecture firm Kirby, Petit & Green designed the house.

An often-repeated story about the house is that it was built for the Japanese Ambassador of that era — but that’s an urban myth, a 2014 posting on Untapped Cities says.

A marvelous Marlborough Road trio

Lemony-hued 215 Marlborough Road is lovely to look at. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

We’ve never seen any other house that looks quite like lemon-hued 215 Marlborough Rd.

Prospect Park South’s developer would love to hear an observation like that if he were alive.

Alvord wanted all the houses in Prospect Park South to look unique and special. The concept of cookie-cutter homes was anathema to him.

John J. Petit designed French Gothic Revival-style 215 Marlborough Rd. for Alvord in 1901, the designation report about the Prospect Park South Historic District says. Petit was of course a partner in the firm that designed the Japanese House.

The house at 215 Marlborough Rd. is part of a terrific trio of eye-pleasing homes.

This terrific turret's at 197 Marlborough Road. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan — This terrific turret’s at 197 Marlborough Road. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

The home next to it, 203 Marlborough Rd., is painted deep green. By the way, Petit designed this house, too.

This house changed hands in a 2015 estate sale. The price was $2.03 million, Finance Department records indicate.

The third house in the trio, 197 Marlborough Rd., is partly painted a blue hue. The bottom floor of the house is made of red bricks. The turret on one corner of the property is very photogenic.

Rugby players

There's a Swiss chalet at 100 Rugby Road. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan — There’s a Swiss chalet at 100 Rugby Road. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

Another spot that shows off the historic district’s eye-pleasing architectural variety is in the middle of Rugby Road.

On one side of the street, there’s a wooden Swiss chalet.

Or, more precisely, 100 Rugby Rd. is Petit’s architectural interpretation of a chalet that’s on a flat lawn on a city street instead of in an Alpine meadow. He designed the house for Alvord.

Coolest. Turret. Ever. At 101 Rugby Road. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

On the other side of the street, there’s handsome 101 Rugby Rd.

It has a big, round front porch and a circular turret with a row of windows on its second floor. The top of the turret looks kinda like it’s wearing a crown.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission’s designation report says 101 Rugby Rd. “is among the most romantic houses in Prospect Park South.”

John E. Nitchie — an architect whose name is new to us — designed this house in 1900.

The Argyle and Albemarle intersection

Here's a row of picturesque Albemarle Road houses. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan — Here’s a row of picturesque Albemarle Road houses. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

We didn’t pick out a preponderance of Petit’s designs on purpose for this list of dandy eye candy.

We took photos in Prospect Park South first, then looked up historic-house info afterwards.

It turns out that Petit designed another house we want you to see.

This is eye-catching 1306 Albemarle Road. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

It’s at 1306 Albemarle Rd., on the corner of Argyle Road.

The Colonial Revival-style home has a curvy front porch topped by a turret that wears a witch’s hat.

The house at 1305 Albemarle Road is one of the Prospect Park South Historic District's great sights. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan — The house at 1305 Albemarle Road is one of the Prospect Park South Historic District’s great sights. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

Right across the street, there’s another iconic house, 1305 Albemarle Rd.

The architect who designed it was H.B. Moore. It was built in 1905.

It’s got grand, two-story pillars at the front door and porches on its first and second floors.

An architect bought 1305 Albemarle Rd. for $2.75 million in 2017, Finance Department records show.

He has done beautiful exterior restoration work on the house.

Reversal of Fortune was filmed in this house. That’s the movie that stars Jeremy Irons as Claus von Bulow, who was tried for the attempted murder of his wife, Sunny von Bulow.

Irons won an Oscar for this role.

Beautiful Beverley Road

The second house from the left is 1205 Beverley Road. Eagle photo by Lore Croghan

You might get so wrapped up in the neighborhood’s north- and south-running streets that you forget to stroll along east- and west-running Beverley Road on the edge of the historic district.

Don’t make that mistake.

You’ll miss intriguing-looking 1205 Beverley Rd. It’s in the middle of the block between Argyle and Westminster roads.

This house has a skinny tower rising up on one corner of it and porches stacked on top of one another on another corner.

Developer George T. Moore hired architect Henry A. Stunek to design the house in 1899, the Prospect Park South Historic District’s designation report says.