The two-story Romanesque Revival and American round arch-style structure was designed in 1885 by local architect Theobald Engelhardt as an addition to the adjacent brewery, which was completed 13 years prior. Founded by German ex-pat Willaim Ulmer, the facility was one of the largest and most successful breweries in the area at one time, producing more than three million gallons of lager each year according to a Landmarks Preservation Commission report.
Though the operation was lucrative, William fortuitously branched out into other avenues. As noted in the Commission report, “For personal profit and beer distribution opportunities, Ulmer invested extensively in real estate. By purchasing or building taverns and installing a proprietor, brewers could guarantee that their beer was the only one sold.”
When Prohibition hit in 1920, forcing the closure of the brewery, the investments proved fruitful, allowing William’s two sons-in-law, who had by then taken over operations, to shift their focus solely to their real estate dealings. They sold off the large brewery facility but held onto the office building for 30-plus years, utilizing it as the base of their new venture, which they dubbed the Ulmer Park Realty Company. Following their eventual sale of the building in 1952, it was used as an office for an electrical manufacturer and then a lighting company before finally being sold to two artist friends in 1985.
Location Brooklyn, N.Y. Price$3.5 million Year 1885
Architect Theobald Engelhardt Specs 6,050 square feet, seven bedrooms, four bathrooms Lot Size 0.18 acres
