The Bath Haus
A Neighborhood Icon Reimagined
The Bath Haus is a new real estate development in Greenpoint Brooklyn. A Neighborhood Icon Reimagined, this former 1903 bathhouse will feature nine unique luxury residences.
A Call to Action
The Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago presented a vision of what American cities could look like, at a time when urban centers were growing at an unprecedented rate and cities lacked basic infrastructure. Chicago Architect Daniel Burnham, a leader in envisioning a grand plan for the city of Chicago, led the Columbian Exposition in posing a major question: by reflecting on the major cities of Europe, what could American cities do to support their rapidly expanding populations and the issues facing those urban centers? The Exposition ignited a call for functional and attractive city planning; architects from every major US city answered the call.
A Brooklyn Architect
Among those architects was Louis Henry Voss, the son of a Dutch farmer from Vermont, who came to Brooklyn, studied architecture at the Pratt Institute and opened offices at 65 DeKalb Street. Voss eventually signed his name across the plans of the borough, including to the bathhouse on Huron Street.
True to the City Beautiful Movement philosophy of the era, Architect Louis H. Voss designed the Huron Street bathhouse in Roman Revival style. The philosophy promoted beautification and monumental grandeur to express order, dignity, and harmony. The facade included pilasters, columns, arches, cornices and Roman-style lettering. The interior featured steam heat, two tubs and 87 showers, with entrances to accommodate women and men.
Of the six other Brooklyn bathhouses that once serviced the residents of Brooklyn, L.H. Voss designed Huron Street (reimagined as the Bath Haus), Montrose Avenue, and Pitkin Street (standing). A.S. Hedman designed Hicks Street and Bridge Street. Bernstein & Bernstein designed Willoughby Avenue. Raymond F. Aimirail designed President Street (landmarked).
After World War II, public baths were less in demand as indoor plumbing became standardized. By 1956, the Huron Street Bathhouse was the last operating in Brooklyn.
A neighborhood Icon Reimagined
Recapturing the bathhouse's historic significance, developers envisioned a new era for 139 Huron as nine residences, celebrating the rich background of Greenpoint. Careful restoration appears in the attention paid to elements such as the original stone carved tablets above the portals. Illuminated preserved exterior details showcase the original Roman Revival features and enhance historic appreciation.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH
VERBAL IDENTITY / NAMING
BRANDING
DIGITAL EXPERIENCE
MARKETING ACTIVATION
