Brownstone

Brownstone is a brown sandstone which was once a popular building material. While brownstone is often popularly associated with New York City, the stone was used widely, around the world, until it fell out of favour, around 1900. The quarries used for the early brownstones of New York City were in New Jersey, and in the Connecticut River area. In New York City a brownstone is understood to be a rowhouse clad in brownstone. New York City brownstones tend to be found in certain older neighborhoods, which are perhaps most common in Brooklyn. Many brownstones have been renovated in recent years, leading to gentrification in areas like Park Slope, Bedford Stuyvesant and Fort Greene.