Move over Brooklyn and Manhattan, word on the street is that Staten Island is becoming "the next frontier!" Â
According to this months issue of Staten Island Business Trends, all of the "exciting, large-scale projects on the horizon for all parts of the island" are putting Staten Island back on the map! Not only are these projects going to relive us of our unfortunate nickname as "The Forgotten Borough," but they're going to bring economic prosperity to our little island in the form of millions.
This photo was taken directly from the NewYorkWheel.org website. It shows what the wheel (and it surroundings) will look like when the project is completed.
The first, and probably most talked about, is The New York Wheel/Empire Outlets project. For those who don't know, The New York Wheel is a project that plans to put a 630-foot observation wheel next to the Staten Island Ferry located in Saint George. This will serve to be the biggest observation wheel in the world, (bigger than the London Eye!), as well as the only one in New York. Construction on the wheel will begin in 2015, and has a projected opening date of 2017.
The wheel will be on the same premise as the Empire Outlets, another project that's stirring up conversation about Staten Island. The Empire Outlets are exactly what they sound like, an outlet mall located by the water in Saint George. There will be 350,000 square feet of leasable space, a 200 room hotel, and a 1,250-space parking garage on site.Â
Both the Wheel and the Outlets are estimated to bring in about $600 million in private funding to St. George.
This means big things for residents, too! The value of homes on Staten Island will go up as well. Real Estate on the island will become prime-time, especially in areas like St.George.Â
These are just two of the projects going on in Staten Island right now. That doesn't include all the other developments taking place. Broadway Stages is redeveloping the former Arthur Kill prison site, Staten Island Marine Development is redeveloping the former NASCAR site on the West Shore, and that's not even the end of it.Â
Finally, we have a reason, (or quite a few reasons), to be proud of our little island!
Posted by Dil Gillani on
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