Built between 1892 and 1893 as part of what was then thought to be the largest varnish works in the country, the Standard Varnish Works factory office building is an important reminder of the industrial history of Staten Island. Colin McLean, the contractor for the new rail system and one of the most prominent builders on the East Coast, built and perhaps also designed Standard Varnish’s waterfront factory complex which included this office building.
Fronting on Richmond Terrace, the office building reflects nineteenth-century factory design practices in its prominent siting at a corner of the factory works, in the attention given to its architectural detailing, in its two-story form, its use of brick–then the most fire-resistant material available–and in its incorporation of a prominent tower.