City Living: Exploring St. George/Stapleton

For those New Yorkers who never step foot in Staten Island, there’s a lot more to the borough than parks and the Wu Tang Clan. St. George and Stapleton, the borough’s most ethnically diverse areas, have become go-to spots for young homebuyers along with being cultural and historic hubs.

In the 2000s, the area was promoted as the borough’s downtown. Immigrants and young home buyers relocated to these neighborhoods for affordability, space and access to Manhattan via the Staten Island Ferry.

The future of Staten Island’s arts, culture and business center is in the ongoing development of a long-ignored stretch of waterfront with stellar views of Manhattan.

“You have all the ingredients for something special and dynamic to take place down there,” said Frank Rizzo, the CEO of Cornerstone Realty Partners.

Meanwhile, Staten Island’s Sri Lankan and Hispanic populations have put the North Shore on the map for authentic ethnic cuisines.

“It’s undergoing a renaissance. It’s evolving,” said Holly Wiesner Olivieri, a real estate agent who specializes in the North Shore.

Buyers can find historic Victorian and colonial homes from the early 20th and late 19th centuries alongside newer construction.

Olivieri said the North Shore could shake the stigma that Staten Island is a boring place to live.

“I would encourage them to spend a day here,” she said of the borough’s detractors.

Mark Davis, a Hunter College student from Westchester County, decided to buy a two-family colonial home after moving to Staten Island for the cheap rent and a low-cost commute.

“It’s very easy being right by the ferry. It makes a huge difference,” he said.

“I like the amount of space I get here too.”

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Commuters must rely on a public bus system and the Staten Island Ferry.
Trains
Staten Island Rail Road
Buses
S61/91, S62/92, S66, S51/81, S74/84, S76/86, S46/96, S48/98, S78, S40/90, S42, S44/94, S52.

St. George will soon be home to the world’s largest Ferris wheel, a $250 million project that will start in 2014. In Stapleton, a former U.S. naval base will become a retail center and residential community close to the Staten Island Ferry.

Meanwhile, the long-awaited dream of retail inside the Staten Island Ferry terminal has come true, with the addition of fast-food chains such as Au Bon Pain and a post office.

The first sit-down restaurant, River Dock Café, is expected to open there later this year.

Tariq Zaid is proud of Stapleton and Staten Island.

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The 36-year-old owns Richmond Hood Co., a five-year-old streetwear store in nearby West Brighton that sells sneakers, hats and T-shirts with Staten Island-themed designs. Zaid was a part of the first wave of businesses on the North Shore when he first opened in Stapleton. He had to move from the neighborhood to get more foot traffic, but once a month, Zaid can be found in Stapleton at Full Cup café hosting a monthly open mic and poetry show he calls “Eargasms”.