Old Indicator curb stops???

That row of bricks is called a soldier course. Judging by the rest of the brickwork, that is a solid wall with several wythes of brick in it, not a modern cavity wall or brick veneer. That suggests it is at least 100 years old.

The architect probably put that soldier course there in accordance with a traditional, premodern architectural principle called "decoration". It's just supposed to look nice. Since there are no arches above the windows, it is probably sitting on a steel lintel.

I don't think there's enough space between the tops of the window openings and the soldier course for wood.