Boys’ High School

Designated September 23, 1975

The Boys’ High School is a monumental example of the mature Romanesque Revival style which became popular in the United States in the last quarter of the 19th century. The mature phase of the style was greatly influenced by the “Richardson Romanesque”, originated by Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-86), one of the most important and influential American architects of the 19th century. Richardsonian Romanesque is characterized by a picturesque silhouette, the use of round-arched openings, an emphasis on the contrast of smooth and rough-faced stonework and — above all — by a strong, powerful massing that is often swelled with rounded bays, towers and porches, a great contrast to the flat, angular planes of neo-Classical and Renaissance facades. In 1891, when Boys’ High School was built, the Romanesque Revival was at the height of its popularity in Brooklyn. Boys’ High School faces onto three streets with each facade having certain elements in common: round-arched windows and doors, gables, dormer windows and a wealth of terra-cotta ornament. The Marcy Avenue facade is the most impressive of the three; each end of this facade is terminated by an imposing tower.

STATUS Designated Individual Landmark

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The Bedford-Stuyvesant community in northwest Brooklyn is a residential area, home to ornate rows of brownstones, early middle-class apartment buildings and several institutional structures. Bedford-Stuyvesant is characterized by its wide, tree-covered avenues and low-scale residences; generally only church spires and school towers rise taller than...

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Doreen Gallo: DUMBO Neighborhood Alliance

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Fern Luskin: Lamartine Place Historic District; Friends of Lamartine Place & Gibbons Underground Railroad Site

Local Voices

“HDC provided guidance and shared information during that process—we knew which Council members were going one way or another and we changed a few minds. I don’t think NoHo would have had as cohesive a district had it not been for HDC’s aid.”

Zella Jones: NoHo Historic District; NoHo East; and NoHo Extension

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“I remember Richard saying at a meeting, we have someone here from HDC, Nadezhda Williams, Director of Preservation and Research, to help us. She said to us, ‘You are not the only ones going through this.’ HDC included us in an enormous community”

Erika Petersen: West End Preservation Society

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"HDC has begun a series of projects to highlight the Bronx's architectural and cultural history. From booklet's and research highlighting specific sites and historic districts to the HDC's symposium in October 2018 to the latest community-based committee to look into further possible sites to qualify for landmarking, the HDC has established projects that will serve the Bronx community well."

Elena Martinez
City Lore, Folklorist
Bronx Music Heritage Center, Co-Artistic Director

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Ed García Conde,
founder and Executive Director,
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