building measured . The structure contained six bowling alleys, four shooting galleries, a billiard parlor, dining room, and large ballroom. The ballroom featured a large stage and had a seating capacity for 1,000 people. The original Prospect Hall was the first such venue to be equipped with an electric lighting system. The Prospect Heights Athletic Club, a boxing club, formed at Prospect Hall shortly after it opened in November 1892. In its inaugural years, the hall hosted a range of events including plays, boxing tournaments, Knights of Columbus meetings, and fundraisers. John Kolle's son, William D. Kolle, managed the hall. By 1900, Prospect Hall served 55,000 Brooklyn residents who participated in theatrical productions. On December 11, 1900, two hundred firefighters responded to a major fire at Prospect Hall. While the firefighters stopped the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings, the hall was destroyed. This was in part because, according to The New York Times, the two closest fire hydrants to the hall were frozen over. The bowling alleys on the ground and second floors formed natural flues for the flames and the fire spread very quickly, further aided by wind. While it had steel ceilings and iron girders, the walls were made of Georgia pine, and the stage and flooring of the hall contained flammable material. Only the brick and stone walls of the building were left standing, and they were ordered to be demolished afterward as they were too structurally unstable. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle described the fire as "spectacular", drawing thousands of people to watch. So despondent was John Kolle that he reportedly had to be restrained from jumping into the fire and killing himself, and later had to be looked after and medicated by physicians. The cause was not confirmed, but was suspected to be a lit cigar or cigarette thrown on the floor in one of the second floor dressing rooms near the main hall. The Eagle estimated the damage at over $300,000 (). Many of the hall's German societies lost trophies, keepsakes, and other property in the fire; they all sent letters of sympathy to Kolle. Reconstructed Prospect Hall Kolle ownership John Kolle quickly decided to rebuild Prospect Hall on the same site and, in June 1901, opened a temporary beer garden next door. The New York City Buildings Department initially refused to grant a permit for the reconstruction because the blueprints included a drinking