A controversial rooftop addition proposed for the iconic Merz House at 48 Willow Place in Brooklyn Heights has ignited a heated preservation debate, drawing opposition from community members, preservationists, and even the original architect's family. The modernist landmark, which sold for $10.6 million in 2024, is now at the center of a dispute over maintaining the architectural integrity of one of the neighborhood's most distinctive buildings.
The Joseph and Mary Merz House was completed between 1965 and 1969 as part of an ambitious redevelopment project on three lots along Willow Place that the Merzes had purchased. The husband-and-wife architect team designed the main residence at 48 Willow Place for themselves, while creating two additional architecturally comparable homes at 44 and 40 Willow Place on nearby parcels. The striking modernist design of 48 Willow Place draws clear inspiration from Louis Kahn's Margaret Esherick House, creating a bold late modernist contrast against the traditional brownstones it faces and the stately Greek Revival colonnade it borders.
Following the recent sale, the new homeowners commissioned Starling Architecture to undertake a comprehensive top-down interior renovation of the 5,500-square-foot building. Ian Starling's eponymous firm, which was featured on Architect Newspaper's 2025 Twenty to Watch list, carefully honored the home's existing material palette of redwood, maple, stone, and glass while introducing new amenities to the courtyard space. However, the subsequent proposal for a rooftop addition has proven far more contentious.
BWArchitects recently submitted existing and proposed elevation drawings to Brooklyn Community Board 2 for review and consideration. The architectural plans reveal a new rooftop addition that would be clearly visible from street level, protruding from the carefully designed roofline of 48 Willow Place. This visibility aspect has become the central point of controversy in the ongoing debate.
Katie Merz, daughter of the original architect couple, has emerged as a leading voice against the proposed addition, arguing that it would fundamentally compromise the historic home's architectural integrity. She has launched a petition opposing the rooftop addition, which has already gathered more than 250 signatures from supporters who share her concerns about preserving the building's original design intent.
The opposition is now formally appealing to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), emphasizing that the property sits within the protected Brooklyn Heights Historic District. In her petition, Merz acknowledges that the new owners have every right to personalize their home, but she and the signatories are asking the LPC to uphold a previously established precedent requiring that any rooftop additions to the three landmarked homes on Willow Place remain invisible from street level.
The petition specifically references a similar case involving a rooftop addition proposed for 40 Willow Place, where the LPC previously determined that "the unique sculptural design of these buildings would be severely compromised by a visible pillbox roof addition." In that instance, the rooftop addition was ultimately constructed but was set back significantly from the property line, making it invisible from street view—an outcome that Merz hopes to see replicated for 48 Willow Place.
"These buildings aren't beautiful by accident," the petition states emphatically. "Every line, every proportion was intentional." The document further argues that "the Merzes designed these homes as complete sculptural compositions, where the roofline is as essential to the design as the facade." According to the petition, "a visible addition doesn't just change the top of the building—it undermines the entire architectural statement."
The Landmarks Preservation Commission is scheduled to convene on November 25 to hear testimonies from both opponents and supporters of the proposed rooftop addition. This hearing will provide a formal forum for all stakeholders to present their arguments regarding the future of this significant piece of Brooklyn Heights' architectural heritage, ultimately determining whether the addition can proceed as proposed or must be modified to preserve the building's historic character.
