Harrison Historic District

Located in Stapleton, Staten Island, this area includes 43 single-family and two-family residences, a church on Harrison Street, and the landmark Seaman's Retreat, an impressive Greek Revival stone building constructed 1834-53 to provide for sick and disabled seaman. Most of the buildings within the proposed district consist of both frame and masonry structures dating from the 1840s to the early twentieth century, with examples of the Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Neo-Grec, Queen Anne, Shingle Style, Gothic Revival, and Colonial Revival Styles. However, unlike other areas in Staten Island developed during the same period, Harrison Street is exceptional for the density of its residential construction, which includes row-houses. Even some of the single family houses, such as Nos. 48 to 54 Quinn Street, only have narrow alleyways between them.

A notable example of single-family construction from the period is the 1880 brick and stone three-story and basement Second Empire house, at 53 Harrison Street, with a first floor lavishly ornamented with striking bands of stone. Also of interest is the former First Presbyterian Church (now Mt. Sinai United Christian Church-Stapleton Campus) at 2 Tompkins Street; this 1894 red brick Dutch Colonial Revival building has stepped gables, accented with a dramatic crenellated corner tower.©2014