House Tour
Another Successful House Tour
Despite cloudy skies, some 750 people came out for the 2011 Park Slope Civic Council House Tour, held on May 8. Tour-goers from San Francisco, Chicago, and places closer to home enjoyed a showcase of beautiful and interesting homes in the southern part of the neighborhood, from Seventh to 13th Streets.
Participants commented on the wide variety of homes on the Tour, which included grand brownstones with gorgeous woodwork, a sleek loft with a flower and vegetable garden, a cozy coop with treasures from around the world, and an environmentally friendly frame house dating from 1858. The starting point for the event was P.S. 107, the hallways of which were filled with colorful and charming artwork by the school's children.
Many people also attended the lecture after thet by architectural historian Francis Morrone, "South Slope 1900: Lives and Times,” held in the lovely sanctuary of the Park Slope Jewish Center.
The 2011 House Tour garnered about $20,000; those proceeds will feed the Civic Council’s Grants Program, which helps fund projects at local schools and cultural institutions.
The 2012 Park Slope House Tour will take place Sunday, May 20. We look forward to seeing you then for another look at the wonderfully interesting and diverse homes of Park Slope.
Detail of the 52nd Annual House Tour
The 2011 Park Slope House Tour was held Sunday, May 15, from noon to 5 p.m.
This is a self-guided walking tour, featuring homes in the southern part of Park Slope.
Starting Point
Location to purchase tickets and receive House Tour brochures and shoe covers: P.S. 107, 1301 Eighth Avenue at 13th Street.
Purchase advance tickets online ($20)
Please visit our page at NY Charities to purchase advance tickets.
Purchase advance tickets from merchants ($20), May 1-14:
- Aguayo & Huebener, 138 Seventh Ave.
- Betancourt & Assoc. Realty, 335 Seventh Ave.
- Brenton Realty, 322 Fifth Ave.
- Brown Harris Stevens, 100 Seventh Ave.
- Dixon’s Bicycle Shop, 792 Union Street
- Dizzy’s Diner, 511 Ninth St.
- Ideal Properties Group LLC, 78 Seventh Ave.
- tb shaw realty associates, 197 Seventh Ave.
- Warren Lewis Realty, 123A Seventh Ave
- Windsor Cafe , 220 Prospect Park West
Purchase day-of-tour tickets ($25) only at P.S. 107:
House Tour brochures and shoe covers will be distributed here.
Highlights of homes on this year's House Tour
- A major renovation of space above an 1890s carriage house has resulted in a dramatic, contemporary 4,000-square-foot loft with large windows and skylights. Highlights include a stunning kitchen area, abstract paintings by Maria Louisa Pacheco, and a handsome American Indian hanging. A doorway leads to an inviting patio and vegetable garden.
- Beautiful mahogany pillars and crown molding grace the parlor of this 1903 Flemish Renaissance home, where every room features interesting chandeliers. The dining room walls are covered in red Venetian plaster. Traditional décor on the parlor floor contrasts with sleek contemporary styling elsewhere. Steve Mumford paintings of Iraq War scenes hang in the TV room and a stunning photograph of the Na Pali Coast by Peter Lik hangs in a hallway.
- Geo-thermal heating and cooling, recycled floor boards, solid wood windows, and a lovely garden watered by the home’s own well through underground drip hoses are some examples of green living at this 1858 frame communal living home. An imposing Chambers Stove presides over the kitchen.
- Step into the Victorian era on the parlor floor of this 1901 Romanesque Revival home, which features elaborately carved mantelpieces, Bradbury & Bradbury wallpapers, grand chandeliers, a working dumbwaiter, and a skylight surrounded by a hand painted mural. Downstairs the furnishings are contemporary. The media room features a handsome carpet and custom-made sofa. The sleek and modern kitchen boasts black granite countertops and windows looking out to the back garden, where tulips and a weeping cherry bloom.
- A stunning wallpapered ceiling, wallpaper wainscoting, lincrusta borders, and an antique carpet enhance the parlor of this 1893 Romanesque Revival home, which sat vacant for 30 years before the current owners purchased it. An old Victrola sits in the corner. A rare oil painting of Marilyn Monroe hangs in the front bedroom. The charming kitchen, featuring a coal stove and original pine plank flooring, leads to a brick patio with dogwood and cherry trees.
- A beautiful cassone chest and grandfather clock are some of the treasures in this charming 1881 Neo-Grec home. Architectural drawings and etchings of fountains adorn the walls, amd there are collections of obelisks and rare books, artifacts from world travels, and an ancient amphora. The inviting kitchen features a beautiful exposed beam ceiling, butcher block countertop and a cozy sitting area. The master bath contains the original tub and sink.
Prohibitions
No smoking, food, drinks. No photos or videos of any kind. No large backpacks. No children under 10 with the exception of infants in front packs. Thank you for your cooperation.
Contact information
housetour@parkslopeciviccouncil.org
or 718-832-8227
About the House Tour
Every year since 1959, upwards of a thousand people have toured the houses of Park Slope.
In the early years, the Civic Council used the House Tour as a way to convince people to move here rather than the suburbs, thus playing a major role in saving Park Slope from the ravages that destroyed many other New York City neighborhoods.
In more recent years, the House Tour, generally held the first Sunday after Mothers' Day, has become the major fund raiser for the Civic Council, with proceeds plowed back into the community in our Grants Program. Read about the $5,600 we awarded this year to eight neighborhood schools and organizations.
Stay tuned for the next Civic Council House Tour
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Starting point:
In front of the Berkeley-Carroll School on Lincoln Place between Seventh and Eighth Avenues
See the 2011 poster here.
