STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Members of the Land Use Committee of Community Board 1 recently voted to deny a builder’s request for rezoning, after residents and local officials voiced concerns about the developer’s plan for a new 18-story residential tower in St. George and its impact on parking, overcrowding and neighborhood character.
“This project calls for 18 stories and 369 dwelling units in a space where there are currently six homes,” noted Marie LaFrancesca, who represented Borough President Vito Fossella at Tuesday’s meeting. “And that’s not taking into account all of the previous applications that have already been filed for the same neighborhood … it’s too much in one specific area and the neighborhood infrastructure cannot absorb this. The borough president is adamantly opposed.”
LaFrancesca was one of many to speak out against the project, planned along a steep incline of Hamilton Avenue at the intersection of St. Mark’s Place and located adjacent to the property allocated for the River North towers — a planned high-rise that has faced opposition and obstacles since 2020.
The Hamilton Avenue tower would replace two, two-family and four single-family homes, several of which were built close to a century ago. The biggest point of contention at the meeting, however, was the lack of parking: Only 146 on-site spots have been allocated for the 369 proposed residential units.
“We are a car-oriented borough, we depend on cars because of an already existing lack of infrastructure,” one speaker noted. “Yes, the ferry is right across the street, but how will these residents go grocery shopping or to the Mall? Bus service is lacking, and the Staten Island Rapid Transit only runs on the east coast of the borough. Was any of that taken into consideration? We’re not the same as the other boroughs.”
Another resident added: “There’s a lot of density proposed for St. George. Whether it all gets built or not, we don’t know. But our main issue there is congestion. This is a Manhattan type of building, but we don’t have the same bus service as Manhattan, and we certainly don’t have the same amenities as Manhattan. Where will the residents shop and dine? What schools will the children attend?”
Lauren George, an urban planning consultant who works with Mega Contracting Group, the Astoria-based company that is developing the site, addressed these concerns.
“This team is of the mind that this project is part of a changing community,” she said. “Density of people brings more retail and amenities. We agree that’s what people want, and we are looking to be part of that swing of the evolution of this community.”
According to documents filed with the Department of City Planning, the project calls for 18 stories and 369 dwelling units in a space where there are currently six homes.(Staten Island Advance/SILive | Jan Somma-Hammel)
According to the plans filed with the Department of City Planning, the mixed-use building will feature 1,250 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, as well as a variety of possible amenities, including a basketball court, a dog run, and racquetball court.
In order to provide those amenities, Mega Contracting Group is seeking a zoning change from a purely residential R6 to an R7-3/C2-4 mixed-use district that allows for both medium-density residential and commercial development.
To move forward, the project will need city approvals for a zoning map amendment and a zoning text amendment. The map change would “up-zone” the project site, removing it from the Special Hillsides Preservation District, and adding it to the Special St. George District.
Removal from the Special Hillsides Preservation District — established by the city in 1987 to preserve the character of the North Shore’s Serpentine Ridge and prevent erosion — would lift several building limitations.
Inclusion in the Special St. George District — developed in 2008 as a way to encourage a pedestrian-friendly commercial corridor around the St. George Ferry Terminal — would align with the builder’s plans.
The Community Board meeting was the first step in the rezoning process. Input will also be needed from the borough president, the City Council and mayor.
The proposed project site is located adjacent to the property allocated for the River North towers — a planned high-rise that has faced opposition and obstacles since 2020. (Staten Island Advance/SILive | Jan Somma-Hammel)
Bill Robertson, a Hamilton Avenue resident who is a majority stakeholder in this particular project and whose home would be included in the tear down, said he welcomes the change.
“I’ve lived here for over 33 years, raised my family here and have seen too many projects get announced and never realized,” he said. “But those stalled projects are starting to come back to life. I love this neighborhood and love that the momentum and the development is picking up. If this project is indeed approved and possibly built, I and my wife and family will continue to live here. It’s great to see things finally in motion.”