1661 Commonwealth Avenue

This brick apartment building was built in 1890 and renovated in 1985.

The 1925 Bromley Atlas shows Patrick Rich as the owner of this building.

In 1930, seven apartments in this building were rented to the following tenants:

• Harry Cook, a 62-year old CPA. Harry lived with his 59-year old wife Grace (born in New Jersey) and paid $100 a month in rent.
  
• Thomas Griffin, a 45-year old leather merchant. Thomas lived with his 46-year old wife Margaret and paid $120 a month in rent.
  
• Florence Durney, a 49-year old widowed cooking instructor. Florence lived with her 37-year old divorced daughter Adde Carroll, a hairdresser; and 38-year old James Clifford, a lodger from New Hampshire who managed a shoe store. The rent was $50 a month.
  
• Elmer Terdenburg, a 41-year old sales manager for a rubber company. Elmer lived with his 38-year old wife Elizabeth and paid $95 a month in rent.
  
• Berman Sperber, a 59-year old real estate broker from Poland. Berman lived with his 53-year old Polish wife Martha and their 23-year old son Charles, an attorney. The rent was $70 a month.
  
• Bruno Aortobini, a 37-year old Italian-born executive for a clothing company. Burno lived with his 33-year old Italian wife Renata and their two children: 8-year old Edward and 4-year old Gloria. The rent was $100 a month.
  
• Martin Witte, a 53-year old attorney from New York. Martin lived with his 44-year old German wife Ella and their 2-year old daughter Barbara. The rent was $120 a month.