$10M in State Funding Allocated on North Shore

Two years after Staten Island was chosen to receive a NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) award of $10 million, it is moving toward fruition. On May 24, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was joined by Staten Island Borough President James Oddo, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, the Staten Island Economic Development Corp., and a number of business leaders at Flagship Brewery as she announced eight North Shore projects selected for state funding.

“This is an exciting day, and a day we will remember for a long time to come,” said Borough President Oddo. “Years from now, we can say that we were together on the first day of the North Shore’s revitalization.”

Leading the way is the College of Staten Island, which will receive over $2.3M to create a Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Lab in the new CSI Center for Innovation at Lighthouse Point. The Seaman’s Society for Children and Families, Empire Outlets, and the St. George Theatre will also receive funds. 

Governor Andrew Cuomo launched the revitalization effort in 2015 and selected 10 communities each year to receive $10 million for investment in their downtown areas. All Staten Island downtown projects are encompassed in a 1.3-mile corridor roughly bordered by Hamilton Avenue to the north, Canal Street to the south, the coastline to the east, St. Mark’s Place, and Van Duzer Street to the west.

The winning proposal for Staten Island was submitted by Borough President James Oddo’s office in partnership with the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Economic Development Corp.  The award was first announced at an event in November 2019 at the historic St. George Theatre.

“We must give credit to the work of Linda Baran (SICC), Cesar Claro (SIEDC), and their teams. This is a direct result of our partnership, and I am proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together,” Oddo said.

Throughout 2020, a local planning committee made up of neighborhood stakeholders met regularly to decide upon a slate of projects to be presented to the State for consideration.  The Lt. Governor’s announcement represents the State’s decision on which projects will move forward with DRI funding.

Linda Baran, president and CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, believes the funding will serve as a catalyst for the district, saying, “This is really a shot in the arm for the area.  It will help improve existing businesses and attract new businesses to downtown.  We’re grateful to the Governor’s team and to our local partners who’ve worked so hard to make this happen.”

Janet Dugo, the Chamber’s project manager for the Downtown Staten Island commercial district, added, "This is a great day for Downtown Staten Island! It’s the culmination of a big effort by a coalition of dedicated people, and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and helping implement some of these game-changing projects.”

The projects that will receive funds are:

PRIVATE PROJECTS

Create the CSI Center for Innovation VR/AR Lab ($2,314,000): Fund equipment to create a Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Lab in the new College of Staten Island (CSI) Center for Innovation at Lighthouse Point. This investment will help establish Downtown Staten Island as a regional hub for tech and Innovation.

Create a Community Event and Entertainment Space at Empire Outlets ($1,950,000): Create a flexible event and performance space within the Empire Outlets shopping center that can be used by local nonprofits and cultural groups at no cost. The space will be located within the new dining and entertainment section of the center, scheduled to open later this year.

Beautify and Expand the Minthorne Street Commercial Center ($1,250,000): Modernize the facade of the prominent office and retail building at the corner of Victory Boulevard and Bay Street and create a new ground-floor cafe space on Victory Boulevard. The project will replace the current glass and metal facade with a more attractive brick facade to beautify the Tompkinsville town center.

Upgrade Seamen's Society Headquarters to Enhance Service Delivery ($1,155,000): Fund upgrades to the Seamen's Society headquarters building at 50 Bay Street to enhance the delivery of services for families and children and to convert underused spaces into free community meeting space. This project seeks to expand Seaman’s reach into the Staten Island community.

Restore the Historic St. George Theatre ($1,058,000): Fund improvements to the St. George Theatre, including restoration of the lobby, repair of interior plaster and paintwork, and the installation of a new mosaic at the outdoor entrance. This project seeks to restore this downtown landmark and improve the visitor experience.

Create a Small Business Recovery Fund ($1,000,000): The Small Business Recovery Fund -- to be administered by the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation -- will help existing businesses recover from the pandemic and support new businesses locating downtown. It will provide grants to property owners or their commercial tenants for a wide variety of eligible costs to support the recovery and growth of downtown and create a safer, more welcoming, and more stable environment.

PUBLIC PROJECTS

Improve Wayfinding and Branding Throughout Downtown ($600,000): Enhance the pedestrian and visitor experience by installing color-coded markers to support navigation around key nodes in Downtown Staten Island. The signs will call out cultural sites, eateries, shops, and other designations and provide a consistent look and feel from St. George to Stapleton.

Create a North Shore Art Trail ($373,000): Create a public art trail from St. George to Stapleton by installing 30+ pieces of unique, community-sourced public art at strategic locations throughout Downtown, including at key intersections and cultural sites.