This is the fourteenth post of "The Union Street Project," in which I unearth the history of every building along the once bustling Brooklyn commercial strips of Union Street between Hicks and Van Brunt, and Columbia Street between Sackett and Carroll.
134 Union Street was obviously built by the same outfit that erected 132 Union. Unlike its brother, the little bathroom windows were bricked over at some point. But the cornices and fire escapes remain the same.
The address has been a laundromat for some years, but, as the below tax photo (barely) shows, it was once a market in the early-to-mid 20th century. The nature of the market and its name can not be learned because of the damn pushcarts that block the view of the storefront. I used to find those pushcarts charming, but too often they've gotten in the way of my pictorial research.
Beyond the picture, I have found out little about this address, except that one Mary Buonarati, 17, lived here, and got married in September 1923. Not much, but there you are.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have collected all the "Union Square Project" columns in one place. The can be found near the top of the right hand bar of the blog.
Those pushcarts may have been annoying, but as you noted in the very first Union Street Project column, they were a Mob-regulated operation :)
ReplyDeletePeter
I like the nostalgic feeling that your blog exudes. The before and after pics are great.
ReplyDeleteI added some animation overlaid with audio from the dispatcher and drivers to my blog.
ReplyDeletehttp://corruptionincortez.blogspot.com/2012/01/june-21-2008-vincent.html
Hope all is well,
- Henry
The Brooklyn DOB at 210 Joralemon has a HUGE (5000 sf) cache of old original drawings for buildings like this in the Cellar and Subcellar. If you ask the Borough Manager, Carlos Piniero, or the Boro Comm, John Gallagher, they can get you access to see this treasure trove. The originals back to the 1870's are there. Bring a respirator, though.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely enjoying this blog- Agree with Henry... Before/After pics= great!
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