Academic: Wagner Buys St. John’s Campus on Staten Island

After years of searching, St. John’s University found a taker for its Staten Island campus.

Wagner College agreed to buy the Queens-based university’s 16.5-acre campus in the Grymes Hill neighborhood, the Commercial Observer reported. A purchase price for the campus hasn’t been disclosed, but the last asking price was $35 million.

St. John’s has been backing off the Staten Island campus in recent years, starting to take classes off the campus four years ago. In 2023, it put the campus on the market.

Wagner is one of the only major colleges on Staten Island. Located a quarter mile from CUNY’s College of Staten Island, students of both schools frequently share facilities and Wagner plans to integrate the campus into its own academic footprint.

“This acquisition supports our strategic vision for expansion and innovation, and it reinforces our deep commitment to Staten Island as well as to our students,” Wagner president Jeffrey Doggett said in a statement.

More details about the transaction are expected to be released later, according to a release. Savills’ Arthur Mirante, Michael Bertini and Mark Todrys were among those representing the seller.

“This agreement reflects a strategic decision that aligns with St. John’s long-term priorities while preserving the educational legacy of the Staten Island campus,” St. John’s University president Rev. Brian Shanley said in a statement.

The campus formerly housed Notre Dame College, a women’s college founded in the 1930s. It was absorbed by St. John’s in 1971.

Elsewhere on Staten Island, a joint venture of Arker Companies, L+M Development Partners and LIHC Investment Group recently acquired the 1,103-unit Park Hill Apartments complex from Delshah Capital for $364.7 million.

The federally subsidized, eight-building complex has a history of tenant complaints, including issues with pests, hot water and heat, resulting in more than 2,000 complaints; the new owners plan to renovate the complex with the help of city and state funding.

— Holden Walter-Warner