New York Public Library, Port Richmond Branch
75 Bennett Street,
Staten Island, NY 10302
Built 1904-1905
Opened 1905
Designed by Carrere & Hastings, architects. Built by E.E. Paul Company.
The Port Richmond Branch is located on the corner of Bennett Street and Heberton Avenue on Staten Island.
Built in 1904-1905, the Port Richmond Branch of New York Public Library is the second Carnegie branch on Staten Island. The library building was designed by Carrere & Hastings whose firm designed all four Carnegie branches on Staten Island. The builder, the E.E. Paul Company, built the Stapleton, Tottenville, and Port Richmond branches. The building design is inspired by classical architecture as seen in its symmetrical layout, entrance portico and Tuscan columns, and arched windows, yet its hipped shingle roof creates a subtle rustic quality. The building design is very similar to the larger Tottenville branch and almost identical to Stapleton branch.
The Port Richmond Branch is a New York City Individual Landmark and continues to operate as a branch of The New York Public Library. There were major alterations and an addition in 1938-9 with WPA funds. These included the lower level auditorium. The original wood shingled roof was replaced with asphalt shingles in 1967.