STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella joined members of the Midland Beach Civic Association Wednesday morning to raise concerns over a proposed development in Midland Beach.
Standing before the property at 374 Greeley Avenue between Sanilac Street and Rudyard Street, Fossella spoke to media and local residents. The borough president drew attention to plans to build at least four three-story, two-family homes upon the grounds where there is currently a one-family residence.
While the existing structure is situated along Greeley, the 22,460 square-foot property extends onto Sanilac and Rudyard.
This photo from Jan. 7, 2026, shows a map of the planned project for what once was a one-family residence on Greeley Avenue in Midland Beach, according to Borough President Vito Fossella’s Office.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
The owner of this property is Christopher Stout, a New York City developer, who has been behind other Staten Island projects criticized by Fossella.
The borough president blamed the proposed plan on the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning text amendment, which aims to create more housing units by loosening some zoning restrictions, including permitting higher-density development in transit hubs and town centers.
“It’s the city giving Staten Island something Staten Island does not want and cannot absorb,” Fossella said of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity.
Plans for the property
Fossella noted that in the 1990s, Staten Island officials fought to “downzone” much of Staten Island in order to “maintain a certain character and integrity to a lot of the neighborhoods.” He argues that the progress made is now being undone under the City of Yes plan.
Borough President Vito Fossella (left) speaks at a press conference addressing a City of Yes development taking place in Midland Beach at 374 Greeley Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
“And the bottom line is this one house that’s been here since … the 1950s — there’s a good chance will be 10 two-family homes; so 20 families will replace one family,” Fossella said.
Stout told the Advance/SILive.com that there are only plans to build what he called four two-story, two-family homes; however, given that it is a flood zone, they are deemed three-story homes.
“We’re on a block, Sanilac and Rudyard respectively, that since the 60s has been attached housing,” added Stout. “So really we’re completely molding to the look of the neighborhood. And the opportunity is there for us to actually build 14 homes, which we’re not doing, and the opportunity is also there for us to build an apartment building, which we’re not doing.”
According to the Department of Buildings, an application was approved in October for the subdivision of one zoning and tax lot into one separate zoning lot and five tax lots.
A tax lot is a parcel of land identified for property tax purposes. A zoning lot is one or more adjacent tax lots within a block.
374 Greeley Avenue in Midland Beach on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. The site is expected to see the development of four, two-family homes.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
As of publication, Stout does not have any existing plans to build anything more than the four two-family residences.
“I’m filing to build four homes and the remaining property I’ll decide to keep it, sell it, build it one day, get it stolen from me from [Mayor Zohran] Mamdani, any of the above,” he said.
Community concerns
Among the quality-of-life concerns raised by Fossella and residents were parking and the capacities of the sewer system and power grid.
“And we just keep banging the drum until somebody in the City of New York hears us,” the borough president said. “You know, I see folks going around the city saying they’re going to listen to the community. Well, we’re speaking loud and clear, we don’t want this. We don’t want to knock down one house and put 20 houses in its place without any understanding of its impact on, again, the infrastructure, the school system, we don’t know. This is bad policy that’s resulting in a bad product.”
As he explained, Fossella believes the city can “fix” the situation if officials come out to the site and consider contextual zoning as well as the unique character of Staten Island as opposed to adopting a one-size fits all approach.
“It’s insane what’s happening and the people of Staten Island are getting screwed; homeowners are getting screwed,” he said. “There is a fix, the fix is to come out here, the city agencies that did this, and say we hear you, we want to help you fix it.”
The borough president emphasized his belief in property rights and said that home buyers are looking for more than just a roof over their head, they’re in search of a community and all that comes with it.
Sal Monforte (center-right), co-president of the Midland Beach Civic Association, speaks at a press conference addressing a City of Yes development taking place in Midland Beach at 374 Greeley Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
Sal Monforte, co-president of the Midland Beach Civic Association, shared that he met with Stout at a land use conference on Tuesday and that the issue comes down to quality of life for the neighborhood.
“My main concern is the power,” said George Tormo, president of Midland Beach Civic Association.
“I want to thank him [Stout] for being approachable, but then again, at the end of the day we got to watch for our neighborhood and our best interests,” added Tormo.
Stout confirmed that he spoke with the two men on Tuesday.
The future of Staten Island
Fossella said he understands that not everyone has been monitoring the latest news regarding the City of Yes, but he encouraged residents to be aware that these impacts will eventually come to their neighborhoods.
“I’m trying to be their [residents’] voice,” the borough president explained. “With all that said, folks should be aware that this stuff is coming and will happen across Staten Island because of the new city policy that we tried to stop, but the city overwhelmingly gave this to us.”
Fossella urged residents to contact city agencies and representatives to say enough is enough and to “put the brakes on what is happening.”
“Are we part of this city or what? People talk about now, secession, I just feel the bubblings of secession moving. This would not have happened if Staten Island was its own separate city I believe,” he said. “These are the things that call into question our future and we’re trying to bring attention to it every chance we get.”
However City Planing officials have said that the City of Yes plan was needed to address the housing shortage across New York City.
“New York City faces perhaps the worst housing crisis in the city’s history, and New Yorkers demand action. That is why we worked with the City Council to deliver City of Yes, a set of zoning changes to allow a little more housing in every neighborhood,” a City Planning spokesperson recently told the Advance/SILive.com.
Borough President Vito Fossella talks with Sal Monforte, co-president of the Midland Beach Association, to address a City of Yes development taking place in Midland Beach at 374 Greeley Avenue on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
Ultimately, Fossella feels that many in city government simply “do not give a damn about Staten Island.”