The Staten Island Coast Guard Station, located adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry terminal, began its life in 1778. It is a complex of 22 historic buildings and was best known for the invention and manufacturing of lighthouse equipment.
This Administration Building, designed by Alfred B. Mullet and completed in 1865, is a landmarked building listed on the National Register. Another office building and a Lighthouse Depot Complex are also listed on the register.
In the late 1990s, New York City Economic Development Corporation took over the site and created a public plaza; a public fishing pier (Pier 1); a fully functioning building that was supposed to house a gift shop for the National Lighthouse Museum. EDC also stabilized the building adjacent to the gift shop for the purpose of housing the Museum's artifacts.
The site boasts spectacular views of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge; Brooklyn's Shore Road, Governor's Island and Manhattan.
During the summer months, concerts and events sponsored by local organizations such as Staten Island Community Board 1 and the Downtown Staten Island Council attract tourists from the ferry as well as local residents.