Staten Island group proposes new elevated community

Higher, denser homes would accommodate new retail and tourism opportunities

From left: James Oddo and Sandy damage in Staten Island
From left: James Oddo and Sandy damage in Staten Island

A portion of South Beach in Staten Island could be transformed by a plan to rebuild homes damaged during Superstorm Sandy on a common elevated platform.

The South Beach Civic Association has proposed replacing vulnerable bungalows and two-story houses in Sunnymeade Village with about 50 elevated homes, the Wall Street Journal reported. The plan has the backing of borough president James Oddo, who has advocated for elevated housing in other low-lying areas including Midland Beach and Ocean Breeze, according to the newspaper.

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Community leaders see an opportunity to address the area’s lack of retail by building shop and restaurant space below housing. The South Beach Civic Association’s plan also seeks to boost tourism by creating wetlands, hiking trails and camping sites where low-lying housing once stood. [WSJ]Tom DiChristopher