“A marble mansion worthy of 5th Avenue” the Tracy Mansion is a breathtaking 50 foot wide structure and is considered the single most notable example of a Neo-Classical townhouse in the Park Slope historic district. The vision of renowned architect Frank J. Helme, the home was completed for the Tracy Family in 1912 as their private residence. The family had become very wealthy through their lighterage firm the M & J Tracy Transportation company founded by three brothers, John, Michael, and Thomas in 1881. In the early 1900’s John Tracy retained Helme to design his mansion in Park Slope, an area that rivaled Manhattan’s Upper East and West Sides for desirability among the upper class. The site picked for the home was at 105 8th Avenue, a tree lined thoroughfare where notable families of the time were vying with each other in the grandeur of their residences. Helme had gained much renown for designing many monumental bank buildings, the famed Bossert Hotel in Brooklyn Heights, the landmark Bush Tower in Manhattan, and the Venetian-style boathouse in Prospect Park. The Tracy Mansion, was his first residential building, and remains one of his most iconic buildings.
The dignified symmetrical façade greets you with rich stone detailing, and semi-circular steps which lead to a curved central bay with four fluted Corinthian columns, supporting an entablature which has a richly detailed frieze. The wall plane behind the central bay is of elegantly rusticated stone with huge windows, and it ascends to the handsome cornice which serves as the sills of the third floor windows. The building’s impeccable composition is completed by a balustrade. The arched stone doorway of bronze and glass lead you to marble paneled, vaulted entry foyer. Inside, a painstaking restoration has sought to preserve much of the original exceptional detail including mahogany paneling, stained glass, marble and wood mantles, and herringbone floors. Seven unique large residences of exceptional quality have been created including three 3 bedroom simplexes, three 3 bedroom duplexes, and a full floor 4 bedroom penthouse. All the interiors offer a rare union of pre-war grandeur and old world craftsmanship carefully tailored to modern lifestyles. Most homes feature wood burning fireplaces, outdoor space, and original woodwork. The Tracy Mansion residences are a truly unprecedented offering in one of Brooklyn’s most coveted enclaves.
Source: The Tracy Mansion
