The houses at Calyer Street and Clifford Place (Google Maps)

Calyer Street has one of the most beautiful groups of landmark row houses in Greenpoint, where Calyer Street meets Clifford Place. These five Neo-Greek brick houses were built between 1879 and 1880. The quaint landmark houses seem to have jumped straight out of the Edward Hopper painting Sunday Morning. These houses delude you into thinking that Calyer Street is frozen in time—but change is coming…

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  1. Interesting. I know it is a little bit off Calyer, about one half block towards Noble where the 60 unit coop bldg is now, stood a Presbyterian Church. It was knocked down to allow the coop bldg. to be built circa 1950-1960s. I have been told this but never confirmed it.

    It is one of the only houses of worship, along with a major syn. where C Town now stands to be razed. Just about every other house of worship still stands in some, way, shape or form.

    1. Yes, the Presbyterian Church was on the SW corner of Noble and Lorimer, where Lorimer dead ends. It was abandoned sometime in the 40s and immediately replaced by an apt. building, still there I think.
      The Greenpoint Baptist Church was catty-corner , on the north side of Noble about 100′ down from “the Avenue”. I wonder if it’s still there.

  2. ‘Majestic appearance’.. Perfect wording, as the building, by the standards of those days, was majestic only in appearance. Whereas the remaining bank building is fairly majestic. Go inside, where its experience of the clerestoried oculus is best had. Natural light washes the tiled dome’s interior. Whoop, a ring of artificial very bright lights has ruined this experience.

  3. My daughter sent me a link to your site. Amazing to see Calyer St. so well represented.
    I lived in 85 Calyer for the first 22 years of my life- up till leaving for the service in 1953. My Grandma owned it then.
    We knew it had some connection to the Civil War- The Continental Iron Works / Monitor/John Ericcson story was still well remembered in the neighborhood; and in fact the Continental had only recently gone under in the Depression.
    85 was definitely built by a “person of substance”: pocket doors, white marble fireplaces, full width covered porch, wine cellar, etc So the Rowland connection is not surprising.
    The last time I saw it was very depressing; porch torn off and then all slathered with aluminum siding (the curse of Greenpoint!)
    I have a link to a 1940 photo of 85 from the NYC tax records that I stumbled and would be glad to share it. Some memories of ’30s-’40s Gpt too.

  4. Any one have any pictures of 208 Calyer st on the corner of Eckford St. My father used to own the candy store there. It’s a dentist office now.

  5. 156 Calyer Street was my address from the time I was 5 until I got married. My dad was a bartender for the Murphy’s for many years. I was probably the only 9 year old who was allowed to sit at the bar sipping a Coke and munching on a bag of Wise potato chips that my father gave me when I stopped in the side door to tell him I was home from school while he was working.

  6. One other thing I just recalled. Before moving to 156 Calyer, my great grandfather owned 125 Calyer in the 20’s up until the 40’s I believe. My great grandmother made “hooch” in the cellar during prohibition. Coyle was their name.
    Living at 156 Calyer in the 50’s, I remember the RKO “Greenie” well. I spent many Saturday afternoons there watching double features. On the corner of Lorimer and Calyer was Stanley’s Deli next to the side of the movie theater.

  8. Dose anyone remember Havmour potato chip factory on the corner of McGinnis Blvd & Calyer st in the 60’s
    Have pics please post ?

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