“The Pouch Gallery. This building was erected by Robert Graves in 1888 for his home; William A. Mundell was the architect. Alfred J. Pouch, after purchasing it, remodeled it to be suitable for assemblies and public gatherings. 1922.” Pouch was a prominent philanthropist and art collector who, like many of his Clinton Avenue neighbors, made his fortune in oil. After an 1891 gala and gallery show, the Pouch Mansion home became well-known venue in Brooklyn’s elite circles, and continued to host charitable events, lectures, and meetings. Pouch later added a wing to the original structure, where selections from his art collection were available for public viewing. The house was demolished to between 1941-1943, to make room for the Clinton Hill Apartments (today “co-ops”) development for Navy families and war veterans.

These ten buildings, designed by Harrison, Fouilhoux & Abramovitz, were built during World War II as housing for Navy personnel at the nearby Brooklyn Navy Yard. The north complex housed enlisted men, while the south was primarily for officers. Several of the large mansions on Clinton Avenue were torn down during construction of the towers. After the war, the buildings became a private development. The availability of affordable housing in the Clinton Hill Coops, and later the St. James Towers, as well as the solidifying presence of large institutions like Pratt and St. Joseph's University, are the reason Clinton Hill was able to stave off much of the urban blight that plagued other Brooklyn neighborhoods in the 60s, 70s and 80s. In 2017, residents of the St. James Towers voted to remain in the Mitchell-Lama program.