The American Bald Eagle is the national animal of the United States. The extent of its majestic presence can only be understood by those who have seen one soar before their eyes. For some, the bird is not just a sight to see, but a powerful cultural symbol that represents strength, wisdom, and freedom. In the early 90’s, the bird was at risk for extinction, prompting environmentalists to ban DDT, a harmful chemical in pesticides that was stunting the population. Since 2007, the birds have been removed from the “protected” list and have even been seen on Staten Island! 

Photo by Stephen Lobaido, Who spotted the bids at Chapin Woods.

Local bird watchers recently spoke with the Staten Island Advance and recalled the areas in which the Bald Eagles were…

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Page Avenue in Tottenville has seen its share of retail growth over the past few years. With shopping plazas featuring everything from hair salons, frozen yogurt joints, upscale restaurants, and even Staten Island’s first drive-thru Starbucks, the area has become a convenience for neighborhood shoppers. Charleston shopping plaza featuring big box stores like Target, Home Depot, Christmas Tree Shops, and Bed Bath & Beyond is just minutes away. Thankfully, shoppers can look forward to even more welcome change with the renovation of “Tottenville Square” shopping plaza located at the corner of Page Avenue and Amboy Road.

(Hollister Construction Services Artists Rendering of the Project) 

By summer of 2014, the “Tottenville Square” renovation will be…

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Gillani Homes has been very busy this past summer, attending various events throughout the Island to immerse ourselves into your communities.  Each year, we raffle off our famous “Lotto House” which features a slew of different scratch off tickets.  The prize sends you our best wishes and our hopes that it will bring you riches! At each event we collect hundreds of free raffle tickets which ultimately added up to over 1,000 entries! Early this month at our annual office meeting, we chose this year’s winner. Congratulations to our winners, Dee & Tony Orabona of Grymes Hill.

 

If you would like to enter for a chance to win this unique prize, look out for Gillani Homes at events around your town. Here’s a look at where we have been over the course of…

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If you were thrilled to learn that Staten Island is “The Borough of Parks,” you're in for a special treat in the years to come. Freshkills Park has slowly been coming to fruition in small stages throughout the past few years. The park, which sits upon a former landfill, will become the largest park in New York City upon its completion. The project is a huge undertaking and many of its promised features are still in the preliminary planning stages. The city offered residents a sneak peak this past weekend which had made it clear just how grand this park will prove to be. Divided up into five sections, the massive piece of land will feature sprawling meadows, intricate pathways, and various outdoor recreation zones. Since the park is so large, it would…

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 Have you ever wondered what the large castle-like structure is that can be seen on your journey across the Verrazano Bridge? Most Staten Islanders already know this, but we’ll l clue you in on the hidden gem that is Fort Wadsworth. The fort is one of the oldest military sites in the nation and has stood since the Washington administration. While the fort hasn’t been active since 1995, it currently serves as part of the Gateway National Park Recreation Area.  Special events and activities can be enjoyed at the park no matter what time of year it is. Here are some of the great features Fort Wadsworth has to offer.

The Goats of Fort Wadsworth. Yep, you read that correctly. There are goats at Fort Wadsworth.  Since 2007 the goats have served as a…

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