How about we uncover a hidden gem right here in the Bronx? It’s the Bertine Block Historic District. This small street offers a captivating glimpse into 19th-century New York City.
The Bertine Block Historic District is a treasure. It is located on East 136th Street between Willis and Brook Avenues in Mott Haven. You will find a striking row of townhouses and tenements. Professor Lloyd Ultan says the brickwork and architectural detail knock people out. Ultan is the Bronx borough historian.
The Bertine Block Historic District includes 31 buildings. Numbers 408 to 412 were the first built in the 1870s. The 20 structures built by developer Edward D. Bertine gave the block its name.
The first row houses appeared on the Bertine Block in 1871. Further development waited until after the 1880s. The Third Avenue elevated rapid transit line opened nearby. It connected the Bronx with Manhattan.
Edward D. Bertine was a milk dealer turned builder. East 136th Street was his first real estate venture. He built ten houses on spec on the south side of the street. The addresses are 414 to 432. Bertine and his family moved into number 416.
All were designed in the Queen Anne style. They feature beige brick and stone. The houses have decorative trims of brick, stone, and stained glass. They also include flat roofs, gables, diverse window designs and tall chimneys. Each home had three stories. The first floor held a front parlor and rear dining room. The second had two rooms and the top floor four.
Six more Bertine homes were built in 1892 in the Romanesque Revival style. They feature high stoops and wrought iron railings. The last four were built in 1895. They are in the Renaissance Revival style. They were constructed as two-family homes. Middle-class New Yorkers bought the Bertine row houses. Some were professionals. Some commuted to Manhattan via the Third Avenue El.
George Keister designed the first ten most beautiful houses on the block. Keister was famous for designing the Apollo Theater. He also designed several Broadway theaters. Examples are the Belasco the Selwyn and Harlem’s Apollo Theater.
If you look closely you will see some homes have two street numbers. One is in stained glass. It predates 1907. The other came later. Before 1907 the Harlem River divided east and west in the Bronx. Buildings were numbered accordingly. After 1907 Jerome Avenue became the dividing line.
The Bertine Block Historic District remains a testament to a bygone era. Its architecture whispers stories of ambition innovation and the vibrant lives of those who once called it home. Take a moment to appreciate this remarkable block.