“Brew fresh coffee?...Check!”
“Crispy toast with sweet, cool jam?...Check!”
“Cute little summer outfit?...Check!”
“Keys, Wallet, Phone?...Check!”

“Time to get out there and re-stock!”

On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the plaza in front of Brooklyn’s Borough Hall turns into a mecca for those seeking local produce, meat, breads, and other tempting foodstuffs. On those market days, vendors arrive early in the morning and endure the whims of the seasons in order to bring their finest offerings to the people of Brooklyn—residents, workers, and visitors alike. The Brooklyn Borough Hall market is part of New York City’s Greenmarket system and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. So, we offer a toast (of artisanal cider, perhaps?) and a look back.

Brooklyn City Borough Hall

Brooklyn was incorporated as a city in 1834, and—like any good city—it would need a City Hall. A design contest was held, and New York architect Calvin Pollard was granted the commission. Pollard had worked on St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Rectory in Ossining, NY and was well respected in the area (he later went on to design the courthouse in Petersburg, VA).

Pollard’s design called for a building in the Greek-Revival style (punctuated by stately columns, and generally inspired by ancient structures including the Parthenon). The foundation was laid in 1836, but the project stalled for more than a decade, until…

In 1845, work began anew on the structure—with revised and amended plans by Gamaliel King. King was the runner-up to Pollard in the original competition (and a renowned designer in his own right—his 12th Street Reformed Church still stands in Park Slope) and was charged with creating a simplified design. Nonetheless, he did manage to keep to the Greek-Revival spirit of Pollard’s original idea, while simplifying the project and costs alike…talk about ‘two for a dollar!’

The building, finally opened in 1848, was made of Tuckahoe marble (a coarse marble indigenous to New York State) and boasted six imposing columns on its façade. Inside, a two-story rotunda (circular) lobby was tiled with,...