Weir Greenhouse, Victorian greenhouse at Fifth Avenue in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, United States
Weir Greenhouse is a Victorian-era glass and iron structure located at 750-751 Fifth Avenue in Brooklyn, directly across from Green-Wood Cemetery. The building has a rectangular wood frame with galvanized iron reinforcement, features projecting glass bays and dome sections, and includes an octagonal entrance vestibule topped with a cupola.
Built in 1895 by James Weir Jr., the structure operated as a family business for over 75 years before passing to the McGovern family in 1971. The building has survived through significant changes in Brooklyn's urban landscape and has recently been selected for restoration and conversion into a visitor center for the adjacent cemetery.
This is one of only two remaining Victorian-era greenhouses in New York City, making it a rare surviving example of that gardening era. The structure shows how wealthy Brooklyn residents in the late 1800s collected and cultivated exotic plants.
The building sits on Fifth Avenue directly across from Green-Wood Cemetery and is easy to spot from street level. Since restoration work is currently underway, check ahead to see which areas are accessible to visitors and what phases of the project are complete.
Many visitors overlook this structure even though it sits prominently on Fifth Avenue, often mistaking it for a residential building rather than a commercial greenhouse. Its ongoing restoration reveals how original iron and glass components require specialized craftwork to repair and maintain their Victorian-era details.
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