Thanks to Pastor Daniel Meeter, of Old First Church, who looked up 45 Montgomery in Francis Morrone’s gem of a book, "An Architectural Guidebook to
Brooklyn" (available at Community Bookstore — it used to be right on the front counter). Morrone has done follow up books about NYC and Philadelphia.

45 Montgomery Place was built 1898-99 by Babb, Cook, and Willard, the same
architects who went on to build the Carnegie Mansion on Fifth Avenue
and 91st Street in New York City. 45 Montgomery is French Renaissance style,
with rusticated granite base, a broad porch, limestone parlor floor,
and limestone-trimmed red brick above. "The most beautiful thing here
is the entrance with its elaborate consoles and superb central
cartouche."

Does everyone know about Francis Morrone: Go to his web site for more about this architectural historian/critic/wonderkind/city tour guide/general smart fellow. This weekend he is doing a tour of Midwood.

Fonda of Zuzu’s Petals had this priceless recollection to add. Even if it’s not the right house it’s a great story.

I think that house on Montgomery Place was the one owned by Cyril Golodner who, with her husband, raised their family there. I met Cyril
quite a while ago, right after her husband passed away. Her daughter
from way out of town had ordered flowers from me for Mothers Day and Cyril made her way down to the shop to tell me…in a really unpleasant
way…. just how much she didn’t like them.

I don’t know how i did it
but instead of getting all defensive and bent out of shape, I was able
to see how lonely she was and whatever i did, she left smiling. Over
the next 10 years we became pretty familiar. She’d come to the shop and
ask me to fill a small vase when one of her kids was coming to visit.

We
always had long conversations while I put the flowers together. She was
smart, funny, tough. I liked her alot. When she decided to put the
house on the market we had a long talk about how that felt for
her…..hard, and sad.

I heard she died recently. She’d moved away and
lost touch. S i am thinking of her right now and can just see her face
and hear that bark of a laugh she had….

"6 million plus". yeah…you
go girl."

If it’s not cyril’s house then, gilda ratner it…."never mind"