Public School 71K
Why it's listed
Public School 71K, at 119 Heyward Street in the Williamsburgh section of Brooklyn, is a symmetrical three-story brick school with stone trim, built in 1888-89. Its design follows the Second Empire style, with a central tower holding a double-height round-arched entrance, a Gibbs surround with a double keystone, and a high mansard roof with its original iron cresting. Projecting corner pavilions with pedimented cornices frame the facade. James W. Naughton, architect for the Brooklyn Board of Education from 1879 until his death in 1898, designed the building. He designed every school built in Brooklyn during the last twenty years before the city joined New York City. The school replaced smaller buildings that had served the towns before Brooklyn grew, especially after the Brooklyn Bridge opened. As one of the few surviving nineteenth-century schools in the city, and a rather late example of its style, it records the importance placed on public education. The building remains in excellent condition and largely unaltered.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an elaborate example of the Second Empire style and one of the few nineteenth-century school buildings remaining in New York City. It was designed by James W. Naughton, architect for the Brooklyn Board of Education from 1879 to 1898. It is also an important reminder of the long history of public education in Brooklyn.
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 82001181, listed November 4, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 119 Heyward St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Brooklyn |
| Listed | November 4, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001181 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888-89 |
| Architect / builder | James W. Naughton |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent condition and unaltered, with a present use of community center. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.70166, -73.95629 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 82001181.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7257557
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.