STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Planning is underway for the 2026 Summer Streets event on Forest Avenue, as city officials, business owners and neighborhood groups begin early discussions about the return of last summer’s controversial street closure.
Though the Department of Transportation has yet to announce any details or specific date regarding this year’s event, the issue surfaced during a recent meeting of the Forest Regional Residents’ Civic Association.
Last summer’s Summer Streets closure, which shut down Forest Avenue from Bard Avenue to Clove Road, drew mixed reactions from merchants along the corridor. Several business owners, including the D’Antuono family at Pastosa Ravioli and Gary LiGreci of The Staaten, reported disruptions, accessibility issues and customers who struggled to reach parking lots or storefronts during what is typically a busy commercial day. Dry cleaners, medical offices, restaurants, bakeries and other storefronts reported similar challenges.
Neil J. Anastasio, president of the Forest Regional Residents’ Civic Association, said the DOT’s Open Streets program is “a great concept,” but questioned how locations are selected.
“When streets are chosen for closure, one must consider the impact on businesses and residents as well as the critical access points into and out of a community,” Anastasio said. “Forest, Bement, and Broadway are very, very busy main streets especially on a Saturday. Closure of these streets for many blocks creates great burdens on businesses and residents alike.”
He suggested that civic associations and business representatives be included earlier in the planning process and proposed alternative locations, such as streets adjacent to school playgrounds, that would avoid disrupting commercial corridors.
iris Ramos enjoys a Puerto Rican cultural performance at the city’s Summer Streets event along Forest Avenue Saturday, July 26, 2025. Launched in 2008, the city’s Summer Streets program was created by DOT to turn major corridors into temporary car‑free zones for walking, biking and community programming. (Advance/SILive.com|Paul Liotta)
LiGreci, who is a member of the Forest Avenue Business Improvement District board, said the organization recently met with Staten Island DOT staff via Zoom to discuss this summer’s proposed event.
“It was a very positive meeting,” LiGreci said. “I am not in favor of any street closure. It makes no sense where it was last year. I suggested other locations, like Martling Avenue and the Zoo.”
He added that this year’s event is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 25, though the date “is apparently not set in stone.”
Nina Flores, executive director of the Forest Avenue BID, emphasized that Summer Streets is not a BID-led event and that the program is created and organized by the DOT.
While not having direct control over the event, Flores said the BID is advocating for the best interests of businesses along the corridor and working to ensure that planning “thoughtfully considers the operational needs, access, visibility, and economic impact on local merchants.”
A spokesperson for New York City Council Majority Whip Kamillah M. Hanks, whose district includes Forest Avenue, said their office was not consulted prior to last year’s closure and urged the DOT to coordinate more closely with merchants and residents for this year’s event.
“We understand and take seriously the concerns raised by merchants and residents regarding the Summer Streets closure on Forest Avenue, particularly the impact on local businesses. Supporting our small businesses and ensuring they can thrive is a top priority. It is also important to be clear that Summer Streets is a citywide initiative, and decisions regarding locations and street closures are made solely by the Department of Transportation,” the spokesperson said.
“Our office was not consulted prior to the closure of Forest Avenue. Moving forward, it is critical that DOT works in closer coordination with our office and the local community so that merchant and resident feedback is meaningfully incorporated. We remain committed to working collaboratively with DOT, businesses, and community stakeholders to ensure future planning reflects the needs and realities of the neighborhood,” they continued.
Megan and Thomas Varughese enjoy the city’s Summer Streets event with their sons along Forest Avenue on July 26, 2025, a pleasant afternoon for families even as the closure drew light crowds and left some nearby businesses hoping for better coordination in the future.(Advance/SILive.com|Paul Liotta)
A DOT representative told the Advance/SILive.com that the department is working alongside the Forest Avenue business community to alleviate concerns regarding this year’s event.
“We look forward to a bustling Summer Streets along Forest Avenue this year and working with the Forest Avenue BID and local merchants to make the event both enjoyable and beneficial for all. We are working on additional outreach options for 2026 and will meet monthly with stakeholders,” the DOT representative said.
The next two Forest Regional Residents’ Civic Association meetings are scheduled for March 31 and May 12. Anastasio said the group “welcomes all opportunities to bring the concerns of residents to any future Open Streets planning meetings.”