by Tom Bastek
Last updated: 12:00 PM ET, Sat November 15, 2014
Rendering of the New York Wheel. Courtesy of Visit Staten Island.
Staten Island has long been referred to as the "Forgotten Borough" of New York City and some people only know it for the ferry that shuttles people from the southern tip of Manhattan to North Shore of Staten Island, past Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and Governor's Island.
But there is a lot more going on there than is typically known.
Hurricane Sandy took a lot away from the island, with roughly 16 percent of the island flooded resulting in FEMA doling out $103 million in grant money. Now two years removed from the storm, the borough is beyond recovery and moving on to re-imagining the future.
"There is a lot of opportunity for reinvention of the beach areas on the island," says Linda Baran, President and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. "Our boardwalk is back and is one of the most beautiful beach walks in New York City."
And that's not all. The North Shore, where the Staten Island Ferry docks, is about to take off. Here are some of the projects that are slated for the "not so forgotten" borough:
The New York Wheel
Observation wheels are all the rage right now, and so NYC is jumping on the bandwagon with The New York Wheel. The tallest observation wheel in the world at 630 feet, it will be able to accommodate 1440 people per ride and will be open from 10 a.m. to noon, 350 days a year. The wheel is scheduled to brake ground in the first quarter of 2015 and be open by 2017.
Empire Outlets
With all of the shopping in New York City, there has never been an outlet center. One would either have to drive to Woodbury upstate or Deer Park on Long Island. Empire Outlets will change all of that in the summer of 2016 when they open 300,000 square feet of retail space on Staten Island right on the water. Nordstrom has already signed up to anchor the outlets. Included in this development is 30,000 square feet of restaurant space, 20,000 square feet of banquet space and a 200-room hotel.
Lighthouse Point
When it rains, you know it is going to pour, and that is a great thing for development in Staten Island. Just south of the ferry terminal is a three-acre mixed used project called Lighthouse Point with 75,000 square feet more of retail and restaurant space, a 164-room hotel and 96 residential units. This development will open in phases through 2019.
Those are just some of the most prominent developments coming to the North Shore area. This is already a great tourist destination with the Staten Island Yankees' stadium overlooking the water and the brand new craft brewery, The Flagship Brewing Company just a short walk from the ferry terminal.
There is also the St. George Theater where for a quick free 20-minute trip across on the ferry, you can see everyone from Tony Bennett to Frosty the Snowman live.
"Everyday there is someone coming into my office asking about development," said Baran. "Whether they want to know what is going up, what is for sale, or what they want to open. It is a great time for Staten Island right now."
Tourism isn't just focused on the North Shore. South Beach is called "The Rivera of New York City," and boasts that recently restored Boardwalk, new playing fields, fountains and a clean, lifeguard-manned beach. Their 835-foot Ocean Breeze Fishing Pier is one of the longest in New York City and during the summer you will get festivals, events and more. Where else can you get away to the beach, and have the convenience of Manhattan 20 minutes away?
So the next time you are on the Staten Island Ferry to get a great view of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and Governor's Island, don't forget to get off, and walk around a little. There is a lot to do and there is about to be a lot more.
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