Brooklyn Borough Hall

For project #2 I chose Brooklyn Borough Hall for my location. It is located in front of Columbus Park which is right behind City Tech. By walking up Johnson St and making a left onto Adams St the building and park will both come into view. This building was originally the City Hall of the City of Brooklyn in 1848, before it merged with the City of New York in 1898. I decided to choose this building because it is one of the few historic buildings around the area.The building was completed in 1848 which i could tell by the greek revival architectural style. It does not fit in with the many modern ones surrounding it. Also, the building went from being “City Hall” to now “Borough hall”. This was an important building for Brooklyn city government which has now been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

I can relate to the quote from “City Limits” by Colson Whiteman from The Colossus of New York ” You start building your private New York the first time you lay eyes on it.” By walking past this building everyday it has become part of my own New York.

“Never listen to what people tell you about the old New York, because if you didn’t witness it, it is not part of your New York and might as well be Jersey.” Whiteman is saying that these buildings, restaurants and shops that surround you are part of your New York because you witnessed them, anything that was there before is not. This Borough hall building is part of my New York now, not the old Brooklyn City Hall building it was considered to be.