The Staten Island Supreme Court. Image Credit: DDC.

On March 30, 2022, the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced the start of a restoration project for the Staten Island Supreme Court Building, located at 18 Richmond Terrace in St. George, Staten Island. The courthouse, a French Renaissance style temple-fronted limestone building, was built in 1913 and designated a New York City landmark in 1982. 

The courthouse will undergo a replacement of the existing limestone steps, which will be replaced with granite stairs with bluestone landing pavers. Concrete adjacent to the staircase and support beams underneath the stairs will also be replaced. New ornamental bronze handrails will be installed to mimic the building’s original handrails. Additional changes include a new sidewalk and curb along Richmond Terrace, and four new exterior lights designed to look 

The project is set to begin this month and be completed by fall 2023. XBR Inc, an Astoria-based contractor, will perform the work. The project is set to cost $5,177,000, which is funded by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS).

DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley stated, “Courthouse steps have traditionally been an important public meeting spot and the City’s historically accurate restoration of the steps at the Staten Island Supreme Court building will once again make that possible. We look forward to completing the work next year.”

DCAS Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock stated, “The Staten Island Supreme Court building is not only a vital public facility, but also a point of civic pride that should be preserved for future generations. I am proud of DCAS’s role managing this historic facility, and we are happy to invest in its future.”

By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the CityLaw fellow and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)