83rd Precinct Police Station and Stable
Also known as: 20th Precinct Station House and Stable
Why it's listed
Built in 1894-95 as the 20th Precinct Station House, this police station and its attached stable occupy a full lot at Wilson and DeKalb Avenues in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood. Architect William B. Tubby gave the three-story building polychromatic brickwork in red, yellow and ochre, a crenelated corner tower with a cone-shaped roof, and a limestone entrance portico with four columns and the seal of the city of Brooklyn. A one-story cell block links the station to a small stable, a common feature of police stations of the period. The fortress-like Romanesque Revival design reflected a popular idea of the station house as a stronghold defending its neighborhood, and it contrasted with the plain tenements nearby. The building later became the 64th Precinct and, in 1929, the 83rd. It is Tubby's only known police station and remains in use by the police department. Its architectural quality and its place in his career formed the basis for listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a particularly fine and impressive example of late Romanesque Revival municipal architecture. Its fortress-like design expresses the station's role in the community and contrasts with the surrounding modest tenements. It is also the only known police station designed by Tubby, a prominent Brooklyn architect.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82003360, listed April 14, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 179 Wilson Ave., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Brooklyn |
| Listed | April 14, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003360 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1894-95 |
| Architect / builder | William B Tubby |
| Architectural style | Late Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and still used by the New York City Police Department; the clock once set in the tower has been removed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.70164, -73.92307 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82003360.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4644731
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.