Grand Prospect Hall

Prospect Hall
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Grand Prospect Hall, August 2021
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Location	263 Prospect Ave., Brooklyn, New York 11215
Coordinates	40°39′50″N 73°59′22″W / 40.66389°N 73.98944°W / 40.66389; -73.98944
Area	1.5 acres (0.61 ha)
Built	1901
Architect	Huberty, Ulrich J.
Architectural style	French Renaissance
NRHP reference No.	99000460
Added to NRHP	April 15, 1999[1]

Grand Prospect Hall, also known as Prospect Hall, was a large Victorian-style banquet hall at 263 Prospect Avenue in the South Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. It was primarily an event space, hosting weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and high-school proms. The hall was housed in a building that architect Ulrich J. Huberty designed in the French Renaissance style.

The first Prospect Hall was built in 1892 by local entrepreneur John Kolle. The original structure burned down in 1900 and was replaced by a new building, which opened in 1903. It was operated by the Kolle family through 1940, when John Kolle's son, William, sold the building to a Polish-American organization. Greek-American couple Michael and Alice Halkias bought the hall in 1981 and renovated it, gaining some local celebrity for their cheaply produced television commercials. In 2020, it was sold to contractor Angelo Rigas, who announced plans to demolish and redevelop it, along with adjacent properties. Local activists organized to save the building, but the effort was unsuccessful and Grand Prospect Hall was demolished in February 2022.

Grand Prospect Hall was four stories tall and faced in buff-gray brick, with pressed metal decoration that was originally colored to resemble limestone. The front portion of the building was arranged around a large central staircase and was designed with a bar, a banquet hall, and various reception and parlor rooms. The rear of the building was arranged around the ballroom, which was overlooked by two balcony levels. The basement also had facilities, including a bowling alley. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.