120th Police Precinct Station House CLIENT: Richmond County Police Department; 66th Precinct ARCHITECT: James Whitford, Sr. DATE: 1920-23 STYLE: Neo-Renaissance

The 120th Police Precinct Station House (former 66th Police Precinct Station House and Headquarters) is an impressive neo-Renaissance style building set on Richmond Terrace in Staten Island’s civic center. Designed by James Whitford, Sr., it was built in 1920-23 as the headquarters for the Police Department in Richmond County and as the 66th Precinct Station House serving the north shore communities of Stapleton, St. George, and New Brighton.

In 1898, Richmond County was consolidated into the City of New York, and the old county center was moved to St. George. Between 1898 and 1919, the firm of Carrere & Hastings designed four buildings for the civic center. Whitford followed Carrere’s design precedents, siting his building in line with the other municipal buildings on Richmond Terrace. He treated the building as an Italian Renaissance palace clad in terra cotta treated to look like limestone to harmonize with Carrere & Hastings’ neighboring Richmond County Courthouse.