I’m Not Laughing

The northwest corner of North 6th Street and Berry Street in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) in 1940: The four-story building on the left is 111 North 6th, “Jersey Hogs Pork Products” is 115 North 6th, and the building between (the second fire-escape from the corner) is 113 North 6th. Here’s a better view of 111 which was a wood-framed building with wood clapboard siding. Looking at the 1916 fire map for the area, that kind of construction (in yellow) was common: Those buildings have been demolished, and I’m not here to mourn them. They were nothing all that special physically or in their history, and Williamsburg has come up in the world since 1940 both socially and in terms of population. Replacement was probably inevitable. I am here to criticize the replacement: Hermès Preps to Open in Faux-Old New Building in Williamsburg. (Brownstoner’s website won’t allow me to embed their photo. In retrospect, that’s just as well. If you want to see it, click the link above.) In short, there’s a new…