Wednesday, February 03, 2010

When The Dudley Memorial/ Lamm Institute Building Had Stately Neighbors

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One of my favorite buildings in the Cobble Hill area is the old Dudley Memorial Building, also known as t
he Long Island College Hospital Stanley S. Lamm Institute for Developmental Disabilities.

Sadly, the wonderful structure at 110 Amity Street has been empty for a few years now and the boarded up windows are a sad sight. The building is free standing today, but that was not always the case. On both Amity Street and the Henry Street side, the Dudley Memorial building was originally flanked by equally stunning rowhouses.
Formerly, the walls between the adjoining structures were broken down to allow them to be connected. Those two neighboring buildings were torn down decades ago.
You can see the corner of Amity and Henry Street in all its glory on the postcard above.

The old Dudley memorial building was designed by Charles Hough, one of the founding members of the
Brooklyn Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It was built in 1903 to commemorate Dr. William Dudley, one of the founders of the Long Island College Hospital, which is situated right across the street and served as a nurses' residence.

In the 1970's, the Lamm Institute for Developmental Disabilities moved into the building,
but was later relocated.

Finally in 2007, the building was sold by Long Island College to developer Time Equities, Inc. A development proposal by Time Equities and partner Lucky Boy would have put an addition atop a 1903 building and would have added townhouses on the adjoining vacant land. Their design was shot down by the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The building as well as the lot on Amity Street are currently back on sale and listed by Corcoran.



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8 comments:

Matthew said...

Love that postcard! I live across the street from this shamefully going-to-waste bldg. Cats and snails rule the L-shaped back yard, so at least somebody's enjoying it more than visually.

Raised in Carroll Gardens said...

I walk past this building almost every week and dream about owning it and converting it into a building with just ONE apartment on each floor -

Kelly said...

Oh, boy, I know how you feel. Would absolutely love to live there.
It is such a beauty.
But in my dream, I would convert it into a one-family.
I know...just dreaming.

Matthew, I like the idea of snails and cats profiting from the empty lots. I wonder what critters live inside the building. It really is not boarded up properly.

Raised in Carroll Gardens said...

Katia,

LOL - I guess you're right. It's better as a ONE family house. Otherwise some people may say we're charging TOO MUCH Rent and others would mock us & belittle us for charging TOO Small a Rent. LOL

What happend on that thread? That Impa & Natty seem awlfully angry. And Court Street may as well be called Court Saint! LOL

I'm sorry I butted-in, but wow.

Kelly said...

Hi Raised in Carroll Gardens,
Don't apologize for trying to reason with Impa and Natty, but I am afraid that may be a waste of time.

Sometimes, I think they are one and the same person....

Raised in Carroll Gardens said...

OMG - I was thinking the same thing. They have the 'writing style' and the same defensive prose.

Anonymous said...

Dear Raised in Carroll Gardens:

Thank you for your comments yesterday. They were appreciated.

It's a shame that this building has been allowed to fall apart. The window openings are not secured and I wonder why the owners are not protecting their investment. Wonder if original woodwork is still there. It could be beautiful again but looks like a money pit.

Even one floor would be too big for me but I'd be happy to visit you with good food and wine.

Michael said...

I used to live on 141 Amity Street in the 1950′s and 60′s. I used to see the nurses go in and out of that building and I remember my cousin hanging out near the corner with his buddies singing doo-woop songs through the night in leather jackets, T-Shirts and Bobby Sox’s… This building is embedded in my memory forever… BTW for all who claim the exclusivity of the area now… The rent at 141 Amity was $45.00 per month… we had 5 bedrooms in that palace and everyone in that neighborhood worked hard and earned honest pay for a living…. I wonder where Richie went?