Film studio purchases old Terra Cotta Works building.

The vacant Terra Cotta Works Building in Long Island City, Queens, has been acquired by Terra Cotta LLC, a venture founded by Silvercup Studios president Stuart Match Suna. The two-story structure dates from 1892 and is a New York City landmark.

"Our acquisition is the first step in

The Terra Cotta Works Building housed the headquarters of New York's only major manufacturer of architectural terra cotta. For some 50 years, terra cotta was a major building material, which had a significant impact on the shape and style of many New York City buildings. The Works Building incorporated many of the products manufactured by the company, such as chimney pots, tiles, moldings, lintels and corbels, thus it served as a veritable catalog of the firm's art and it is the only one of its kind known to survive in the United States.

Business continued through the mid-1940s at the two-story structure and the manufacturing works on the waterfront site adjacent to the Queensborough Bridge. Later the Works Building itself served as the office of a construction company until 1968. The kilns and other production facilities were demolished in 1976 and the Works Building gradually fell into disrepair over the years.

"After so many years of neglect, we are delighted that the Terra Cotta Works Building has been acquired and has the opportunity to be restored," said Jennifer Raab, chairman of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. "We look forward to the day when New Yorkers can once again enjoy this unique piece of our history."