"New Train, Old Industry @ Rosebank"
On the morning of February 3rd, 2025, a westbound MTA Staten Island Railway train, with a Kawasaki R211S set, passes through the Rosebank neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, appearing small in comparison to the massive former Louis De Jonge Paper Works Company building.
Founded in 1846, the Louis De Jonge Paper Works Co. specialized in coated, colored, printed, and embossed papers for packaging, label printing, and box coverings. They were best known for producing the signature "Tiffany blue" paper used in Tiffany’s shopping bags and gift wrap. In 1919, the company moved into the building seen here, which featured a rail spur connecting directly to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad for shipping and receiving materials. After filing for bankruptcy in 1975, the building sat vacant for years before being repurposed by American Self Storage, which has since painted it in red, white, and blue.
