Welcome to Sunset Park! This neighborhood in Brooklyn is home to many immigrants, especially Mexican and Chinese immigrants. It is full of rich history, dating back to the early 1900s and World War II.  We will now go on a tour of Sunset Park, stopping by at important sites in its history and reminiscing on the impact of these sites today. Come and join us as we start off this tour on a historical note.

Brooklyn Army Terminal

The first stop on our tour of Sunset Park is the Brooklyn Army Terminal, located on the Western coast of Brooklyn at 140 58th Street. This unassuming industrial complex has a very rich history that started in 1918 when it was created to function as a military depot and supply base. The complex’s location on the coast of the New York Harbor contributed to the success of this station as a military supply base. Building  B, the larger of the two buildings, contains a train line in its large atrium as well as a crane that helped dock and undock cargo to “loading areas” that look like balconies jutting out from the building. The smaller building was closer to the water and was connected to a port that contained 3 piers The Brooklyn Army Terminal served as the largest military supply base for the United States throughout World War II. During this period, the terminal employed over 56,000 people and was responsible for the shipment of 80% of American supplies and ammunition!

The huge four-million square foot two building complex took a mere 17 months to build, consisting of girder-less construction with steel-based concrete. There are 96 elevators in the building to help navigate its 8 stories! This was the largest elevator installation of its time. The complex’s architect Cass Gilbert is renowned for the building’s highly efficient and visually appealing structure. Gilbert is also responsible for the Woolworth building, Broadway Chambers Building, the Essex County Courthouse, and many other Gothic-styled buildings. In 1981, New York City purchased the lot from the federal government, to repurpose the buildings for industrial and commercial use.

 

The Brooklyn Army Terminal is currently the home for all kinds of commercial tenants, such as Urban Green Furniture, an eco-friendly furniture company that uses American based woods and paints their products with toxic-free paints. The complex has become a desirable base of operations for many businesses since the city has been renovating the buildings since 1984, making the interiors of the terminal modern and work-friendly. Over 70 businesses are hosted in the Brooklyn Army Terminal, and judging from the leasing advertisements seen at the terminal, there are many more to come.

NYU Lutheran Medical Center

The western waterfront of Brooklyn is the also the site of another major Sunset Park landmark.  After walking four blocks up 1st avenue from the Brooklyn Army Terminal, you’ll find yourself at the NYU Lutheran Medical Center. The famous Lutheran Hospital, now affiliated with NYU, has served as a site of spiritual and medical help since 1882. The health institution started out as the humble 9 bed Norwegian Lutheran Deaconesses’ Home and Hospital founded by Sister Elisabeth, a Norwegian nun. The hospital was originally a ministry for Norwegian immigrants of the area. This establishment reflects the influence that Scandinavians had on Sunset Park during its early settlements. This history also serves as an example of one of the ethnic enclaves that once predominated Sunset Park.

The current NYU Lutheran Medical Center is a 404 bed hospital, continuing a faith-based tradition alongside all of its medical teachings. In 1967, the Sunset Park Family Health Center opened as part of Lutheran Hospital, and provides healthcare to multicultural families all around Sunset Park. These services include primary care, dentistry, women’s health, and specialty care for both adults and children. Now, the medical center serves a much more diverse population than the Norwegian-based clinic, so multilingual services are often provided. Lutheran Hospital is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in New York State, over 30 school-based health centers, including the largest dental residency program in the nation, which was also started in 1967. The medical center has become a major health center not only for Sunset Park, but also many other nearby neighborhoods of Brooklyn such as Bay Ridge or Borough Park. The medical center is a very influential site of Sunset Park, but if you head toward 5th avenue and go through the underpass of the Belt Parkway and go down to 60th street, you’ll find another influential center that facilitates many neighborhood residents.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church

The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help located at 60th street and 6th ave is a massive and iconic architectural landmark of both Sunset and New York City. It’s so large in fact that it encompasses the whole block from 6th ave to 5th ave. The Basilica was founded by a group of Catholic priests known as the “Redemptorists.” The Redemptorists mission in life is to provide religious, charitable and social services to the poor. When they first arrived in New York City, they actually first assisted the Native Americans. Irish, predominantly Irish Catholic immigration prompted the Redemptorists to open up church in Sunset. In 1892, the Redemptorists bought the whole city block which it’s located on for just $40,000! A tiny price now, but a rather expensive one then.

The original church however is not the one standing today. It was originally a wooden church, but in 1905, the Redemptorists saw a need for a larger church that would keep up with the growth of attendees. Completed in 1909, they built a church that would be an architectural masterpiece that exudes an appearance of wealth but whose purpose was to uplift the poor. Built in Romanesque architecture, it was named in honor of Virgin Mary. In fact, a unique tradition of this church is to end every Mass with a prayer for Mary. This tradition started on May 6th, 1894, when the priests distributed a leaflet containing prayer for Mary after Mass, not knowing they had started a tradition that will span more than a century. Originally dominated by Irish and Germans, it now serves mostly Hispanic and Chinese adherents. In fact, outside the Basilica, all the posters are written in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

The Basilica is a major social center for Sunset’s Catholic population. They have several organizations such Advocacy for the Disabled, the Catholic War Veterans, the Circle of Friends for Senior Citizens, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Basilica. They hold many events throughout the year including events about Health and well being. In February they even had an information session about the Zika Virus from the Dept. of Health. Considering many of their followers are Hispanic, and since the Zika virus has affected mostly lation countries, you can tell how invested the Church is in maintaining the wellbeing of their community.

Juan’s Barber Shop

After visiting the monumental Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, continue walking 8 blocks on 5th avenue towards 51st street. As you walk these 8 blocks, take in the atmosphere and details  of Sunset Park. It will tell you a lot! At first, you will notice a transition from an Asian dominant neighborhood to a Latino/Hispanic dominant neighborhood. This is evident from the switch from Chinese & Latin fusion restaurants such as Nuevo Palacio Chino on 56th street to Mexican bakery shops such as Café Con Pan Bakery Corp. at the corner of 54th street. This marks the beginning of the commercial area of Sunset Park. As you continue walking towards 51st street, you see a variety of streets vendors selling electronics, perfumes, and roasted peanuts. The smell of roasted peanuts and churros from the street vendor carts make it difficult to actually identify strong aromas coming from nearby restaurants.  Eventually, you will pass by a longtime social center in Sunset: Juan’s Barbershop.

Juan’s Barber Shop is located on 511 51st Street Brooklyn, NY 11220. As you pass by this barber shop, you hear boisterous laughter and chatter in Spanish, making it difficult to not enter. As I entered the barber shop, the chatter actually died out because of the appearance of an unfamiliar face. The owner, Juan, is in another state and will not be coming back anytime soon. Luckily, two Mexican barbers and one Dominican barber are more than happy to help out a tourist like myself. Keep in mind that the the popularity of this barber shop makes it difficult to just walk in and ask questions, rather you must wait to be helped. The Dominican barber Eleazer Gill, also known as Elias, gave me a run down about the history of Sunset Park and the importance of barbershops, particularly Juan’s Barber Shop. When asking questions, it may seem intimidating at first, but once you open up to the barbers, you realize that they are actually welcoming and love laughing and smiling.

Elias chose to become a barber at age 18 because he was inspired by his barber who was really good friends with him. Elias graduated high school and decided to become a barber because of the great income. Surprisingly, Elias told me that there were only five barbershops in the Sunset area about 20 years ago. Today, there are about at least a couple of barbershops every few blocks in Sunset Park. Juan’s Barber shop is a social center for barbers and customers alike, which highlights the importance of this institution in Sunset Park. Some customers actually just walk in to get news or talk to the professional barbers that not only know how to give an amazing cut, but to deliver news in an interesting way. The strong relationship between the barbers and the customers is apparent in the way that the barbers record their customers’ numbers in their contacts list.

Juan’s Barber Shop is actually one of the oldest barber shops in Sunset Park that started about 50 years ago. Many Hispanics, Arabs, Trinidadians, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans come daily to get a haircut. The establishment of this barber shop 50 years ago, the professional cuts, and the affordable prices, are major factors that make Juan’s the best place to get a haircut. Elias actually lives in Bay Ridge and his Mexican barber friends live in Staten Island and Sunset Park. When asked why his friend comes all the way to Bay Ridge from Staten Island when he could work in another barbershop, I was answered with a candid answer that this barbershop feels like home. I was surprised to know that customers also come from other boroughs to this specific barbershop to get a haircut. This just shows that not only is the haircut important, but the barber shop itself. The concentration of Hispanics in this area of Sunset attracted Elias to work here because he knows that Hispanics love their haircuts and this would be a good source of income. It is also in an ideal location surrounded by Ricos Tacos and the commercial region of Sunset Park. This helps grab attraction and direct people towards the barbershop. If you ever pass by Sunset Park, remember to pass by Juan’s Barber Shop to get a fresh haircut at an affordable price.

Sunset Park

After you get your haircut, walk down on 5th Avenue until you reach 43rd Street. On your right will be Sunset Park, the park for which this whole part of Brooklyn is named. Established in 1895, Sunset Park offers many facilities such as a recreation center, a sand volleyball court, basketball courts and even an outdoor pool. This pool was open to the public in 1936, and during the summer, it is open to swimmers and those who want a tan. There are also other programs such as learn-to-swim programs, free after-school swimming instructions, and adult lap times. This pool is also home to the Brooklyn Swim Team, which is a competitive travel team. In the winter months, the recreation center is the place to be with a computer center, a library, a dance studio, and a workout room with free weights and equipment.

If you’re in the mood for something more relaxing, you can picnic on the grass field which has a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. Not only do you see Manhattan, but there is also a view of a few Brooklyn neighborhoods, the Statue of Liberty, and the shores of New Jersey and Staten Island. What better way to spend an evening watching the sun set in the very own Sunset Park.

Sunset Park is an important part of the neighborhood because it offers an area to socialize with others while engaging in some sort of activity, whether it be physical or just watching the sunset. It is a place big enough for people to have their own individual getaway while maintaining a connection to others who also enjoy the services of Sunset Park. The park has stood its grounds for well over a hundred years, making Sunset Park an attraction in West Brooklyn even with an influx of immigrants.

Sunset Park Courthouse

After such a relaxing time at Sunset Park, it is now time for something historical. A left at 43rd Street toward 4th Avenue would bring you to the former Sunset Park Courthouse. This historical landmark of Sunset Park was made in 1931 for $475,000 by the Mortimer Metcalfe, who was the same architect who assisted with the construction of the Grand Central Terminal twenty years before. This courthouse is easily distinguishable with its remarkably designed columns, limestone detailing, and moldings. The courthouse not only housed the municipal and magistrates’ courts, but it also housed nonprofit agencies like the Sunset Park Senior Care Center. After a renovation of the building in 1996 and a brief stint by the New York Police Department using the courthouse as a processing center for applicants, the former Sunset Park Courthouse became a New York City landmark in 2001.

Before the Sunset Park Courthouse was built, the Brooklyn City Hall (now the Brooklyn Borough Hall) was used for most court sessions. There was a growing number of civil court cases, and Borough Hall needed to expand so that all these court cases were handled. Eleven courthouses were built in the 1930s including the Sunset Park Courthouse, and most were designed in the Classical Revival Style that can be characterized by columns, detailed molding, long flights of stairs, and a prominent entrance. Even a lot was put into this extravagant design, the court system in New York City became more centralized, rendering the Sunset Park Courthouse obsolete in 1962.

The former Sunset Park Courthouse is a significant landmark in the neighborhood because it provides some rich history to Sunset Park. It is made by a famous architect who helped build one of the most populated transportation centers of the world. It also reflects a time in history when the judicial system needed to expand and Classical Revival was the style of building courthouses. In addition to its historical value, the former Sunset Park Courthouse also provides some aesthetic interest as an official New York City Landmark.

P.S.024

As you continue walking on fourth avenue from 42nd street towards 38th street, you pass a number of fast food restaurants such as Burger King and McDonalds. If you are feeling tired, you can stop at one of these restaurants to grab a bite! The first thing that you notice is paintings on the walls of the playground of P.S. 024.  The paintings that depict different races and ethnicities playing and having fun in nature just represents the diversity of the student body found in P.S. 024. The same wall murals can be found inside on the walls of the library, which helps highlight the importance of diversity and acceptance in P.S. 024. I was surprised to learn that the wall murals were painted by the Groundswell Mural Project to represent the struggles of the immigrant population in Sunset Park. Another amazing feature that is unique to this school is the dual language classes that teach in both Spanish and English. Most of the school is populated with Spanish speaking students which is reasonable for the establishment of a dual language program. This program promotes students to interact with their peers and teachers in both languages to sharpen their proficiency in Spanish and English.

In terms of enrichment, members from BAX (Brooklyn Arts Exchange), S’Cool Sounds, and the New Victory Theater work with students to teach them about art, movement, dance, and theater. These partnerships also provide students with the opportunity to attend live theaters which is important in terms of teaching the student population about the importance of art and music. This shows that P.S. 024 is an important institution in not only strengthening students academically, but culturally as well. The Sport and Arts in Schools Foundation also funds weekend programs that affect hundreds of students that come every Saturday for art, sports, and tutoring. In 1999, The PAZ After-School partnered with both The Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility and P.S 024 received funding from The After School Corporation (TASC). This allowed P.S. 024 to run after school programs on the weekdays from 3:00- 5:00 PM to help students in terms of teaching them about health, art, and sports. The importance of P.S. 024 is not only limited to the students, but also plays a crucial role in the lives of parents and families alike. Lutheran Family Services works with P.S. 024 to provide ESL classes and GED classes to parents that are seeking help. This shows the importance of this public school in helping shape the leaders of the Sunset Park community through the academic, cultural, athletic, and artistic opportunities that it presents.

Alku & Alku Toinen

As we end our tour and walk along 40th street and 7th ave, it can be easy to pass through some rather unremarkable looking houses and buildings. Among these seemingly unremarkable buildings  is the Alku & Alku Toinen cooperative buildings. What you wouldn’t know is that these buildings have a remarkable history and significance. Housing cooperatives are places of residential living that are owned by the inhabitants of the building collectively. Each inhabitant owns their own apartment unit within the housing, but they cannot rent the apartment out to other people. Once they move, the apartment unit returns to the Co-op who gives it to another family in need of affordable housing. In housing co-ops, members vote on the annual budget which determines the housing charges and how much is spent on maintaining the building. Because of their non-profit and communal nature, housing co-ops provide essential affordable housing.

Now you are probably thinking, so what’s special about Alku & Alku Toinen? Well, they are the first cooperative buildings in the United States history and they started in none other than Sunset Park! In fact, the concept was so new at the time that were classified as cooperative farms rather than housing by the Department of Agriculture. The Alku Coops were founded by the Finnish Building Association in 1916 by sixteen families. Alku in Finnish  meaning “beginning” and “toinen” meaning two, representative of what the Finnish families thought of as a new beginning in America, one where they can live decently and affordably. Sunset was actually known as Finntown at that time because of its large Finnish immigrant population.

Ten years after the establishment of Alku & Alku Toinen, 50 Co-op apartment buildings popped up in Sunset alone. Originally serving the Finnish community, today it serves the current demographics of Chinese and Hispanics who just as the Finnish of the past, were attracted by the affordable and quality housing standard the Alku and Alku Toinen co-ops presents.

Like all good things, this tour must come to an end. But if you do not want this tour to end, and you want to experience the enriching culture of Sunset Park everyday by living here, the Alku and Alku Toinen co-ops building is a great place to consider. That ends our tour through Sunset Park in Brooklyn. We hope you learned a lot about the great history of this neighborhood. It was a pleasure guiding you, and I hope you come back and visit again.

 

 

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