You’ve probably seen it. If you’ve ever walked off the 2 or 3 train at Clark Street, you’ve basically walked right into the ghost of a giant. The St. George Hotel Brooklyn Heights isn't just a building anymore; it’s a sprawling, weird, multi-decade puzzle that takes up almost an entire city block. It’s huge. It’s also kind of a shell of its former self, which is the part that breaks your heart if you’re a fan of New York City history.
In its heyday, this place was the largest hotel in New York City. Not just Brooklyn. New York City. We’re talking 2,632 rooms. It had a saltwater pool that looked like something out of a Gatsby fever dream, lined with mirrors and turquoise tiles. Today? It’s a mix of student housing, high-end condos, and a smaller hotel operation. It’s a weirdly fragmented ecosystem. But to understand why the St. George Hotel Brooklyn Heights still matters to the local psyche, you have to look at the sheer audacity of what it used to be.
The Saltwater Pool and the Golden Era
Let’s talk about that pool because everyone brings it up for a reason. Built in 1930 for something like $1.2 million—which was insane money during the Depression—the St. George’s pool was fed by actual saltwater pumped in from underground wells. It was the place to be. You had celebrities like Esther Williams and Duke Ellington hanging around. Even F. Scott Fitzgerald supposedly spent time here. It wasn't just a gym; it was a social statement.
The hotel was the brainchild of Captain William Tumbridge, but it was refined by developers like Bing & Bing. They saw Brooklyn Heights as the "Gold Coast" before that was even a marketing term. The Tower building, which still looms over the neighborhood, was designed by Emery Roth. If you know NYC architecture, you know Roth did the Beresford and the San Remo on the Upper West Side. He didn’t do "small." He did "stately."
Honestly, walking past the entrance today at 100 Henry Street or 51 Clark Street feels a bit strange. You see the ornate brickwork and the Art Deco flourishes, but the scale is what hits you. Back in the day, the hotel had a Colorama ballroom. It was this massive space where 1,000 light bulbs would shift colors in sync with the music. It was the first of its kind. People traveled from all over just to see a room change colors. Imagine that in an era before LED strips were $10 on Amazon.
What Happened to the St. George Hotel Brooklyn Heights?
The decline didn't happen overnight. It was a slow, painful crawl. After World War II, the rise of the car and the suburban flight hit Brooklyn hard. The St. George started losing its luster. By the 1960s and 70s, the grand suites were being carved up into smaller units. It became a bit of a SRO (Single Room Occupancy) hotel. It got gritty.
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Then came the fire.
In 1995, a massive six-alarm fire ripped through parts of the complex. It was a disaster. It took hundreds of firefighters to get it under control, and it basically gutted the original Henry Street buildings. For a while, the neighborhood thought the whole thing might just be leveled. But Brooklyn Heights is a landmarked district—the first one in the city, actually—so you can't just tear things down.
The aftermath of that fire led to the fragmentation we see today. The complex was essentially partitioned.
- The Clark Street Building: This part was eventually converted into student housing for Educational Housing Services (EHS).
- The Tower: This became luxury apartments and condos.
- The Weller Building: Also shifted toward residential use.
It’s a bit of a Frankenstein’s monster now. One door leads to a dorm where NYU or Pace students are carrying laundry, and the next door over leads to a multi-million dollar lobby. It’s quintessential New York.
Living in a Landmark: The Modern Reality
If you’re looking at the St. George Hotel Brooklyn Heights today, you’re likely looking at it from one of three angles: as a student, a condo buyer, or a guest at the current hotel iteration.
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The student housing side is pretty legendary. Because it was a hotel, the rooms are tiny but they have high ceilings. Students get access to some of the old-world charm, but mostly they’re just there for the location. And what a location. You are literally on top of the subway. You can be in Manhattan in five minutes.
The condo side is where the real money is. The St. George Tower at 111 Hicks Street has one of the best roof decks in the entire city. No joke. You have a 360-degree view of the Statue of Liberty, the Financial District, and the Manhattan Bridge. It’s the kind of view that makes people okay with paying $2,000 a month in HOAs.
The Misconceptions About the Pool
People always ask: "Can I still swim in the pool?"
The short answer is: No.
The long answer is: It’s gone. It’s literally filled in. After the fire and years of neglect, the cost to restore a saltwater pool of that scale was astronomical. It was eventually converted into a fitness center (the Eastern Athletic Club), and while you can still see some of the original columns and the general "shape" of the space, the actual water is a memory. It’s probably the biggest tragedy of the building’s history.
Why History Nerds are Obsessed
The St. George is a case study in "Adaptive Reuse." That’s the fancy term architects use for "not knocking it down."
Most people don't realize that the hotel actually consisted of several interconnected buildings: the Grill, the Crossways, the Lanterne, the Tower, and the Weller. When you walk the perimeter—Hicks Street, Clark Street, Henry Street, and Pineapple Street—you’re seeing different eras of New York architecture mashed together.
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- The 1880s sections are all about red brick and Victorian weight.
- The 1920s sections bring the Art Deco height.
- The post-fire restorations are the "clean" parts that look a little too new.
It’s a messy history. There was a time in the late 80s when the hotel was used to house homeless individuals and refugees. It was a flashpoint for the neighborhood. Residents were worried about the density and the lack of services. It was a tense era that highlighted the gap between the building’s glamorous past and its functional, often difficult, present.
Navigating the St. George Today
If you’re visiting or thinking about moving in, there are a few things you’ve gotta know. First, the subway entrance is in the building. This is amazing for convenience but means there’s constant foot traffic. It never feels quiet outside.
Second, the "hotel" part of the St. George is much smaller than it used to be. Don't show up expecting a 2,000-room lobby with bellhops in gold-trimmed uniforms. It’s more functional now.
Third, the neighborhood is the real star. Brooklyn Heights is famously quiet, leafy, and expensive. The St. George is the outlier—it’s the big, loud, complex anchor in a sea of brownstones. You’ve got the Promenade just a few blocks away, and the walk down to Brooklyn Bridge Park is basically a rite of passage for anyone living in the area.
Actionable Insights for History Lovers and Renters
If you want to actually experience the St. George Hotel Brooklyn Heights without just reading about it, here is how you do it:
- Check out the 111 Hicks Street Lobby: While the residential elevators are private, the lobby itself gives you a taste of the Emery Roth scale. Look at the ceiling heights and the metalwork.
- Walk the Perimeter at Night: The building looks best under streetlights. Start on Hicks Street and walk toward Pineapple. You can see the transitions in the brickwork where the old hotel ends and the "newer" 1930s additions begin.
- Search the Archives: If you’re a real nerd, look up the Brooklyn Public Library’s digital collection for "St. George Hotel." You can find the original menus from the 1940s. They served things like "Broiled Lamb Chops with Mint Jelly" for $1.50. It’s a trip.
- Know the Housing Limits: If you’re looking at an apartment there, check the square footage carefully. Many units are "efficient," which is New York for "I can touch both walls at the same time." But the light? Because the Tower is so tall, the light is incredible.
The St. George Hotel Brooklyn Heights isn't the grand dame it used to be, but it’s not a ruin either. It’s a survivor. It survived the Great Depression, the flight to the suburbs, a catastrophic fire, and the total transformation of Brooklyn from a shipping hub to a billionaire’s playground. It’s still here, taking up its block, reminding everyone that once upon a time, Brooklyn had the biggest hotel in the world.
To get the most out of your visit or your research, focus on the Hicks Street side for the best architectural photos. If you're looking for the entrance to the subway, it’s on Clark Street, right next to the local businesses that have moved into the hotel's ground floor. This is a living building, not a museum, so treat it with the respect a 140-year-old landmark deserves. Look up, stay curious, and don't expect to find the pool—it’s better to just imagine the saltwater and the mirrors while you walk the halls.