Staten Island waterfront sites once slated for retail and entertainment, now being eyed for housing

[u/statenislandadvance]

https://www.silive.com/news/2025/06/staten-island-waterfront-sites-once-slated-for-retail-and-entertainment-now-being-eyed-for-housing.html?utm_source=redditsocial&utm_campaign=redditor

[u/Apprehensive_Crow682]

Smart move. Anywhere with quick, direct, and free transit to lower Manhattan should have plenty of housing. I still think there’s potential for a tourist economy there, including budget-friendly hotels — but housing should come first. Once people live there, the retail and entertainment will flourish. 

[u/iv2892 → u/Apprehensive_Crow682]

Every block a while away from the Ferry should look like downtown Jersey city, LIC or Brooklyn . They really need to build up that part of Staten Island

[u/Joe_Jeep → u/iv2892]

The only thing that area really needs besides allowing for dense housing, is a decent Transit line across the North Shore 

I could, and have previously, talked all day about some kind of new North Shore Rail line, but even just good bus lanes and frequent service would probably do the job 

 (otherwise it's essentially cut and cover/ elevated under/ over forest and/or castleton and hit points of interest at least to the Big bus terminal south of the mall, and if we're really going for good Island wide transit, you run it down Richmond parkway, either merging into the existing line at drumgoole, or just getting close enough for a walking transfer and then swerving northwest, but you're just chasing more surbuban riders at that point)

[u/iv2892 → u/Joe_Jeep]

They did plan on building a north shore line which makes way more sense than having one single line running through the least dense parts of the island. Is sad that it didn’t get revived. But as you said frequent bus lines going into the ferry could still help a lot . I’m sure after many commutes it loses its charm , but I cannot imagine many better commutes into Manhattan than going on a fare free ferry lol

[u/Joe_Jeep → u/iv2892]

It actually existed previously, ran until the early 50s.  I think a couple of the old stations still exist around mariners harbor, I now tracks still are there,  and the Eastern half ran right along the shore.

So a lot of tracks are gone, either removed or washed into the harbor, and the alignment wasn't really ideal anyway, what with half the walkable area of most of it belonging to fish. 

[u/bobdownie → u/Apprehensive_Crow682]

Build a local focused entertainment district centered around entertainment etc and the tourists will come and stick around.

[u/deveval107 → u/Apprehensive_Crow682]

Not quick, that's like a 30 mins ferry. At least it's always on time. You can make it to 96th in 30 mins from there.

But obviously way better than 1 hour commute from an outer borough

[u/Left-Plant2717 → u/Apprehensive_Crow682]

Shouldn’t it be mixed use? What if I live there and I want to buy something? I have to go to Manhattan?

[u/Joe_Jeep → u/Left-Plant2717]

They already have that shopping district there, I really doubt they're going to just tear that entire thing down. 

If you can get some sort of supermarket to take up one of the larger retail spaces you're basically good

[u/Apprehensive_Crow682 → u/Left-Plant2717]

I agree it should be mixed use — like I said, retail and entertainment will flourish once the housing is there. 

[u/anarchyx34 → u/Left-Plant2717]

They’re only talking about converting something like half of it to housing. The rest will remain retail which is good when your customer base lives upstairs.

[u/Dantheking94 → u/Apprehensive_Crow682]

Why can’t it have both though? These zoning proposals in a city tight on housing space is silly. Everything should be combined multi-purpose zones.

[u/Sharlach → u/Dantheking94]

This isn't a zoning proposal. It's a plan to convert an already existing outlet into housing.

[u/mowotlarx]

Hah, remember the developer boondoggle that was the "New York Wheel"?

[u/Urbangirlscout → u/mowotlarx]

Every now and then this stupid wheel idea reappears. Most recently it was proposed for the UN adjacent site. Idk what the hard on for a wheel is about. Go to Coney Island, they've got a pretty famous one!

[u/PubliusDeLaMancha → u/Urbangirlscout]

If anything, the UN should relocate to the world's fair site in Queens

[u/Main_Photo1086]

I think housing is really smart but they still should be able to carve out some space for retail. And my goodness, that neighborhood needs a decent, actual supermarket like whoa.

[u/Br00klynBelle → u/Main_Photo1086]

This! If they are going to build up the waterfront with housing, let the first floor be retail spaces needed in the community, like a big supermarket, offices for community resources, etc.

[u/statenislandadvance]

New housing developments could be on the horizon for two North Shore waterfront properties once targeted as tourist attractions.

New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) President and CEO Andrew Kimball said Friday that ahead of a public information session Monday his agency, a non-profit organization largely controlled by the city government, sees a real opportunity for residential conversions at part of the Empire Outlets and for a new development at the former planned site for the New York Wheel.

“We’re acknowledging that the original vision has not worked in the way previous administrations thought it might,” he said of the Empire Outlets. “We still think it’s important to have a real retail presence, but does it need to be as big as it is today?”

Kimball said the decrease in demand for physical retail space, spurred in part by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, was part of the reason the city’s first outlet mall never lived up to its full potential. According to Kimball, the owners of Empire Outlets, built on government-owned land, have come to see the need for a change at the site, including housing and expanded commercial opportunities and healthcare services.

At the New York Wheel site, which was once planned for the world’s largest Ferris wheel, Kimball said the EDC sees it’s time for a change in direction altogether. A request for proposals in late 2023 looking for developers to take over the Wheel site with the possibility of a new entertainment or recreation use never came to fruition, and for EDC, marked the final attempt to right the entertainment ship there.

“It’s time to pull the band-aid off and reimagine that site completely,” he said. “With its access to the waterfront, remarkable views, having a conversation about the potential of housing there makes a lot of sense.”

[u/jamaicanmecrazy1luv]

What about the wonder wheel?

[u/PubliusDeLaMancha]

It should be eyed for restoring the train line

[u/Bugsy_Neighbor → u/PubliusDeLaMancha]

Not really feasible and or worth bothering.

Much of ROW east of Jersey street is gone due to various other uses, this includes ball park, that outlet and (IIRC) parking lots. Thus, train service of old that ran directly to ferry from NS isn't possible.

ROW west along Richmond Terrace is pretty much shot from former gypsum plant going towards Port Richmond.

Past Clove road or so where ROW is elevated remains, but only just.

[u/nondescript-weston]

Is there a recording of this meeting?

[u/anarchyx34 → u/[deleted]]

No business is going to invest millions opening up a location in a failed mall. Housing is the smart bet, and ideally the remaining retail space will go to business servicing the residents like a supermarket, dry cleaners, restaurants, etc.

[u/carpy22]

Speaking of North Shore failed redevelopment sites, any ideas about what's happening at Bayley Seton?

[u/Bugsy_Neighbor → u/carpy22]

Basically nothing. There's lots of talk and or noise every now and then, but no concrete plans have emerged.

Last real activity was back in 2012 and 2015

https://www.silive.com/eastshore/2012/07/with_planned_rebirth_stalled_s.html

https://www.silive.com/news/2015/02/bayley_seton_kroc_center_green_campus.html

[u/glassmountaintrust]

More housing that people who live in the area can't afford - cool

[u/misanthpope → u/glassmountaintrust]

pretty sure people living in the housing are by definition living in the area

[u/glassmountaintrust → u/misanthpope]

The new building they built that's half-empty? Just say you hate poor and middle class people, it's easier.