Public School 71K

Public School 71K stands on Heyward Street as a preserved monument to a time when Brooklyn operated its own independent school system. Built between 1888 and 1889, the structure dates to the period before the city of Brooklyn merged with New York City. The building was designed by James W. Naughton, who served as the official architect for the Brooklyn Board of Education for nearly two decades. His work at this site reflects the French Second Empire style, characterized by its symmetrical brick facade and an elaborate central tower crowned with a high mansard roof. The original iron cresting still tops the roof, serving as a rare survivor from the late nineteenth century.