A Very Creepy House in Brooklyn

Vincent Price owned either this house or the one next store that is all brick and is now used as a mosque. In the basement of his home was a bowling alley.

That much I know. My parents own a house in the area for the past 48 years. I lived there for much of my life.

I lived here for the first 3 years of my life with my parents and grandparents. My grandparents lived here for 45 years. My grandfather bought it from the Gale estate in the late 1920’s. My grandmother, Lucia, died here at the young age of 40 when my Dad was only 12. My grandfather remarried and raised my father and two siblings here. When I was growing up on Long Island, we used to visit my grandparents every Sunday for roast dinner. I have very fond memories of the magnificent foyer and main staircase, the spooky top floor ballroom and the secret back staircase. My sisters and I played hide and seek for hours. They used to keep the place impeccably, but eventually sold and moved after the house was robbed several times. It was not a great neighborhood in the late 70s, but has really come back. Since then, the house has changed hands several times and I have seen it fall into such disrepair. It brings a great sense of melancholy, but also good memories.

Yes, I have seen the inside and it is beautiful! The creepiness is mostly from needing new paint. Owner says structure is sound except he wants to rebuild the porches. He wants to fix it up but he has a home and a ranch in the South, and there are a few things that stand in the way of doing justice to the outside.

Scout, what kind of movie do you want to make? Maybe I can help. Contact me via email.

You are correct this house is a work of art. It is one of my favorite homes in the “Prospect Park South” community. I saw it about a month ago and I was amazed at the condition. This home has a ball room inside of it…growing up I always wanted to see it in person and it is sad to see the condition. The house accross the street has undergone major renovations maybe the same will be done to restore this beauty….classic properties live!

There are loads of houses like this in Ditmas, which is just south of Prospect Park. Beautiful old wooden mansions with wraparound porches. These wooden houses are all in terrible shape, and the heating bill for a house like that is huge. Most of them are owned by Haitians who rent out the rooms to relatives. Almost all of them are boarding houses in some form or another.

In 1992, my best friend inherited this house from his coworker. He was a police officer and she was a civilian worker in the same precinct. She was dying of cancer and had no relatives so she left him the house in her will. He was 33 and single and had no use for this house and sold it within a year in”93 for 343,000. I had the fortune to wander the inside. WOW! Top floor was a ballroom with a billiard room off to on side. The second floor had at least 5 master bedroom suites and bathrooms. Wrap around staircases everywhere. First floor had a music room with grand piano, formal dining room with built ins, sliding doors and more…reading room…living room. Stained glass through out. The woodwork was some of the finest.. American Chestnut!!!! Mahogany! We did not use the front entrance cause it looked like the front portico could collapse. The basement was wild ! House was a $$ pit.

This house has been renovated and is on the market. Stunning. Makes me so happy!!!

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1305-Albemarle-Rd-Brooklyn-NY-11226/30666281_zpid/