In 1908 the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company bought the 1847 townhouse at 58 Joralemon Street, gutting its interior to create a ventilation shaft for the East River subway tunnels.
Engineers chose to preserve the brownstone façade because the neighborhood was already a historic residential enclave; a bulkier industrial structure would have clashed with the streetscape.
The shaft, extending roughly five stories below street level, houses a high‑pressure fan that draws fresh air from Manhattan and Brooklyn, while its emergency stairway provides a rapid egress route for passengers during incidents.
In 1999 the Metropolitan Transportation Authority upgraded the shaft’s machinery and reinforced the façade, modernizing the ventilation system without compromising its historic look.
While the MTA keeps the site low‑profile for security, locals refer to it as the 'Shaft House', and its blacked‑out windows have become a curious landmark for neighborhood residents.