The view from the top of the seven-story building at 30 Bay Street gave a full view of the large wooden residences that lined Central Avenue in 1929. The homes on this street were demolished at some unknown time during the 20th century. The new building now located at 26 Central Avenue, opened in 2014, is the Richmond County Supreme Court. Its construction took more than a decade with problems and delays, including the 2001 discovery of 19th century human remains, originally interred in a cemetery that once occupied the land.

📚In 1901 after selling his corporation for $500 million, steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie announced a $5.2 million donation to the City of New York for the construction of public library buildings. With this gift, 67 branch libraries were constructed in the five boroughs between 1903 and 1929. 📚

From mansions to tenements, when it comes to housing, New York has it all. This New York Public Library collection examines housing in New York since the mid-19th century, with a particular focus on vernacular and wood-frame structures across the five boroughs.

St. George Branch, NYPL, date unknown. The St. George Library was designed by Carrère and Hastings and completed in 1907. It is the largest of the four Staten Island Carnegie libraries, reflecting the importance and vibrancy of the surrounding neighborhood which is home to the Staten Island Borough Hall and the ferry terminal. While the original design was a rectangular floor plan (as seen in this undated image), a large addition perpendicular to the original building was constructed in 1952.