State Street Houses
Why it's listed
Twenty-three row houses line State Street between Hoyt and Smith Streets in downtown Brooklyn, forming a continuous streetscape of brick and brownstone. Eighteen stand on the south side, built from 1847 to the mid-1870s, with Greek Revival and Italianate details; the earliest eight, from 1847-48, show the strongest Greek Revival character. The five on the north side, Nos. 291-299, were built as a nearly identical group in a late Italianate style by local builder Michael Murray, who bought the land from William Schermerhorn. The houses were built for merchants and professionals, many working near Wall Street or the Fulton Street ferry, in the Boerum Hill area. Most keep their original cast-iron stoop and areaway railings. Surrounded by commercial buildings and parking lots, the block remains residential. It was listed as a reminder of the many substantial middle-class row houses that once filled the area, and for the coherence of its facades.
Significance in brief: The houses form a coherent streetscape of brick and brownstone facades with Greek Revival and Italianate detailing. They represent the middle-class row houses once common in the New York area and survive amid an area that has become largely commercial. The north side row of five was built in 1871-72 by local builder Michael Murray.
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 80002640, listed January 17, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 291-299, 290-324 State St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Brooklyn |
| Listed | January 17, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002640 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1847 - c. 1875 |
| Architect / builder | Various; north side houses (Nos. 291-299) erected by Michael Murray, a local builder |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival and Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Generally in good condition and all still in use as residences; few major exterior changes, though new windows, window grilles, painting and stucco over stone have been added. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.68879, -73.98744 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 80002640.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7603556
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.