Brooklyn Heights Blog

Flickr photo by 24gotham

Residents of Cranberry Street tell BHB that there was moving in/moving out activity at number 19 (aka the Moonstruck House) this week.  The townhouse, which had been on the market since January 2006, is now listed as “Sold” on Corcoran’s website.  No word on final sale price, but it was recently reduced from its original asking price of $5 million to $3.5 million.

The sellers of the home, architect Edwards Rullman and his wife Francesca, have owned the building since 1959.  We all have Edwards to thank for his hand in making the Brooklyn Heights Historic District a reality.  In 2006, Rullman, Otis Pearsall and other preservationists  celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the passing of the Bard Act, which paved the way our neighborhood’s landmarking, at a New York Preservation Archive Project event in Manhattan.  Rullman also served a 10 year term as a governor and a two year term as president of the Brooklyn Heights Association.   He has also been active in civic affairs in his summer community of Wellfleet, Massachusettes.

In March of 1964, the New York Times wrote about an “expedition” Rullman, Otis Pearsall, Clay Lancaster and five others embarked upon at the site that is now the Cadman Plaza apartments.  Their mission: rescuing antiquities, fixtures and other items from the brownstones about to be torn down to make way for the towers. The builders allowed them to take the items for free.  In turn, the bounty was offered at no charge to home owners who were restoring their Brooklyn Heights brownstones.  According to the article, the “catch of the day” was a three story circular stairway with original wrought iron banister found at 77 Middagh Street. (Anyone know where that ended up?)

BHB wishes Mr. Rullman well and we hope the new owners enjoy a home that will  not only be remembered for its star turn in Moonstruck but also for being home to one Brooklyn Heights’ legendary heroes.

Update: The New York Daily News reports that the home sold for $4 million:

New York Daily News: Moonstruck…: Olga Petersen Valentine, 80, who has lived in the neighborhood for 45 years, said the Rullmans have retired to their vacation home out of state.

“I met the lady who just moved in. She’s a very nice lady and they have two children,” Valentine said. “This is really great when a nice family moves into a neighborhood like this.”