The city is issuing a request for expressions of interest, or RFEI, as
it seeks to redevelop two parcels of land on Staten Island’s St.
George waterfront, according to a statement released by the city
today.
The two sites, located close to the St. George Ferry Terminal, are
currently used as parking for the Richmond County Bank Ballpark and
the St. George Ferry Terminal. Combined, the two sites will provide
more than 14 acres of waterfront development, with the site
to the north of the ballpark totaling approximately 7.4 acres and the
site to the south approximately 6.7 acres. The areas represent large
potential for economic development and job creation on Staten Island,
city officials said in the statement.
“The potential to develop these sites while maintaining the
availability of parking — combined with projects at the Homeport,
Howland Hook, and at the Ferry Terminal — will be a catalyst for the
further revitalization of the North Shore, as well as the entire
island,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in the statement.
City officials and the New York City Economic Development Corporation
will be evaluating responses to the RFEI based on how potential
developers would achieve specific development goals that would have a
positive impact on Staten Island. Those include: overall economic
impact on Staten Island, job creation, improved waterfront and
pedestrian connections and support of existing amenities and
attractions.
“These land parcels are perfectly located for retail space, which
could draw both residents and the 1.5 million visitors that ride our ferry each year,” Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro said.
Proposals will have to include the replacement of all publicly
available parking, the addition of any new parking required by the
proposed development, and a description of, and a timeline for,
necessary infrastructure improvements.
“The St. George area is our downtown Staten Island with panoramic
waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline, Brooklyn, Bayonne and
Jersey City,” City Council member Debi Rose said. “However, thousands
of tourists ride aboard the Staten Island ferry annually without
venturing out of the ferry terminal. The development of the St. George waterfront can help promote tourism and boost our economy.”
The Staten Island Ferry is the third most popular tourist attraction
in New York City and thousands of spectators visit the Richmond County
Bank Ballpark each year, according to the statement. However, too few
of these visitors leave the ferry terminal or ballpark for dining and
entertainment, resulting in a largely untapped market for these
activities, the city says.
The development of the two sites is part of Bloomberg’s widespread plan to redevelop New York City’s waterfronts. — Miranda Neubauer