SI North Shore study will template future development

November 13, 3:06 PMStaten Island Independent ExaminerJohn Signoriello

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Aerial view of North Shore waterfront area  (Photo:EDC) 

The NYC Economic Development Corporation is conducting a North Shore Land Use and Transportation study that could become a template for the area's future.

Dan Bayer of Parsons Brinkerhoff presented an outline of the study at Sailor's Snug Harbor Thursday night.

Mr. Bayer said the area under consideration is approximately one mile wide and five miles wide-- extending along the waterfront along Richmond Terrace-- from the ferry to just past South Avenue in Mariners Harbor--inland from Forest Avenue down to the waterfront.

This area encompasses the following neighborhoods: Saint George, New Brighton, West Brighton, Snug Harbor, Port Richmond, Elm Park, Mariners Harbor, and Arlington.

The study will be completed in the spring of 2010 and will be used to direct public and private investment

The ultimate goal of the study is to identify opportunities for improved transportation connections, job creation, environmental protection, and public access to waterfront areas.

NYC Economic Development Corporation and the NYC Department of City Planning have partnered to conduct the study.

They have selected Parsons Brinkerhoff as their consultant.

Additional studies are underway relating to the proposed North Shore rail line, and the Goethals and Bayonne Bridges.

The West Shore study has been completed.

According to EDC, this land Use and transportation study will create a framework that can be used to guide future zoning and development actions by identifying land use and transportation proposals favored by the public.
 
The two crucial east-west transportation routes within the study area are the former North Shore Right of Way and Richmond Terrace.

Both key areas will be closely examined for opportunities to improve residential and commercial mobility.

The project goals, according to EDC, are to produce an action plan to:

--improve mass transportation connections and roadways for vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle traffic

--support future reuse of North Shore Right-of-Way

--create and retain jobs in the active maritime industry

--protect environmentally sensitive areas

--enhance historic residential and commercial neighborhoods

--provide greater public access to current and future recreational areas

Ferries at Staten Island slips (Photo: EDC) 

Mr. Bayer said that based on meetings with residents, elected officials, city agencies, and civic leaders, four themes have begun to emerge:

--the need to increase mobility

--the need to create and retain jobs

--the need to revitalize commercial centers

--the need to provide waterfront access and open space

Regarding mobility, Mr Bayer stated it would be difficult to create dedicated bus lanes on narrow streets.

He advocated, instead, methods of giving buses priority at signal lights.

He mentioned that the North Shore had some of the worst commute times in the entire country due to inadequate public transportation and rush hour congestion on the primary roadways.

Mr. Bayer said that Staten Island is still  'auto-oriented' primarily because of inadequate public transportation.

He said that the main commercial streets--Port Richmond Avenue, Castleton Avenue, Forest Avenue, and portions of Victory Boulevard--all lack parking and a pedestrian-friendly environment which causes shoppers to travel elsewhere.

"It's scary how much money leaks out of the North Shore area," he said.

Mr. Bayer talked about possibilites also.

He mentioned the possibility of creating bikeways that connect the ferry, Snug Harbor, and the inland parks that compose the North Shore Greenway.

He said there was the possibility of creating and retaining well-paying jobs, particularly in the maritime industries, which already exist in the area, but are hampered by the lack of predictability regarding the right of way that intersects their properties, in addition to commuting problems on congested Richmond Terrace.

The only waterfront access now is Faber Park, Snug Harbor, and the North Shore Esplanade.

Blissenbach Park is a real opportunity, Mr Bayer said, but there are additional opportunites for waterfront access at the foot of Jersey Street, Bard Avenue, Van Pelt, and Port Richmond. These could be viewed as waterfront nodes--areas that celebrate the waterfront--and they could be connected.

Mr. Bayer said that the existing promenade along Richmond Terrace, which ends at Westervelt Avenue, could be extended to Snug Harbor.

He mentioned that Atlantic Salt Co. was interested in a land swap involving exchanging land they own near Richmond Terrace for the city-owned ROW along the waterfront. This could facilitate a walking, jogging, and bicycling path, in addition to a rail line, all at a level above the salt loading and unloading operations, providing a view of the Kill Van Kull.

The EDC has made community involvement a key component of the study.

Kick-off meetings were held in early April, 2009.

At those meetings interested residents, representatives of political leaders, and civic leaders proposed land use and transportation alternatives which have become the project parameters.

The two public meetings held this week were for the purpose of generating further suggestions and prioritizing the project suggestions made so far.
 

Traffic congestion--a way of life on Staten Island (Photo: EDC) 

An interactive requirements gathering technique was used at both meetings:

Approximately 20 individual projects based on suggestions made at the April meeting were given cost estimates--ranging from $150-$5 to keep things simple.

These individual projects were grouped on worksheets into the four categories:

  --improve mobility
 
--provide workforce training programs

--revitalize commercial centers
 
--restore open space and provide waterfront access

The attendees were told at both meetings:

You have $500 to invest in projects that will enhance and benefit the North Shore. The total cost of all the projects listed amounts to $740 so you must decide which projects are of the highest priority.

On Monday night and again on Thursday:

--improve mobility projects were almost wholly funded.

--restore open space and provide public access projects were almost wholly funded.

--create and retain jobs projects were less heartily endorsed.

--revitalize commercial centers projects were less heartily endorsed

The overiding concern on Monday and Thursday was the need to create a North Shore rail line, or a suitable subsitute using buses or trollies.

On Monday most people expressed a strong desire for retail shops in the area, particularly stores providing fresh produce.

Most people on Monday were in favor of maritime industries expanding, but only if they are verifiably green.

At the meeting on Monday night, many people expressed an interest in replacing fencing on maritime sites, but most thought the business owners themselves should pay for this.

A lot of skepticism was expressed on Monday regarding City funding of projects meant to draw commercial interests to the area.

The prevailing opinion Monday seemed to be: fix the area and business will come.

There was less interest on Monday--than on Thursday--regarding workforce training programs, although on Thursday a number of people did strongly stress the need for jobs creation and training.

A lot of skepticism was expressed Thursday for a project that called for decking over the parking lots near the ferry in order to create commercial space.

"If you're having trouble renting the commercial space in the ferry, what makes you think you'll be able to rent space in the parking lot," commented one participant.

A project relating to creating University/hospital staff housing was received warmly on Thursday but not on Monday.

At least one group of four people on Monday were in favor of a fast ferry service from Port Richmond to Manahattan.

The following is a list of the individual projects considered in the mock budget exercise, within their assigned categories, with the cost estimates that were assigned:

improve mobility projects

--transit service on the rail right-of-way (bus or rail) $150

--Intersection improvements and paving $20

--bus signal improvements $15

--bus lane improvements $10

--street straightening $75

create and retain jobs projects

--provide grant funds for workforce training programs $10

--University/hospital staff housing $30

--maritime training center $15

--support maritme expansion $30

revitalize commercial centers projects

--ready sites for development $20

--grocery store incentives $10

--wayfinding and marketing $10

--prep ballpark parking lots for development $100

--pedestrian improvements and streetscaping $15

restore and provide open space projects

--neighborhood waterfront connections $60

--waterfront clearing and improvements $20

--extend promenade $40

--new Blissenbach (Marina) Park $50

--replace fencing on maritime sites $15

--bike sharing/bike rental program $5

Another round of meetings will be held in the future to present findings and solicit opinions one last time before the final report is produced.

The NYC Economic Development Corporation has assembled a great deal of information on their website relating to the North Shore, although the presentation made by Mr. Bayer is not yet available.

Click here to view the actual EDC website.

 Some key facts about the North Shore:

  SI Population :         443,728

Study Area Population :  65,882

Elm Park-Mariners Harbor: 15,917

New Brighton-Snug Harbor: 15,217

St. George: 13,185

 Aerial view of North Shore (Photo: EDC)

 43% of Staten Island and North Shore commuters spend 45-90 minutes or more commuting to work.

This is one of the worst travel times in the USA and is due to congested roadways and the lack of alternative public transportation.

Maritime operations on the waterfront (Photo: EDC)

 27% of the people in the study area travel to workplaces within the North Shore.

The number of Manhattan-bound commuters decreases as you move west through study area:

 32% in St. George and New Brighton vs. 20% in Mariners Harbor

How they commute to work...

46% of Elm Park-Mariners Harbor residents drive to work.32% use public transportation.5% use the ferry.

44% of New Brighton-Snug Harbor residents drive to work. 37% use public transportation. 18% use the ferry.

Staten Island looking toward Manhattan (Photo: Ann Meehan)

 43% of Port Richmond residents drive to work. 36% use public transportation. 8% use the ferry.

24% of Saint George Residents drive to work. 54% use public transportation. 28% use the ferry.

EDC estimates the median value for homes in the area is $169,915.

75% were constructed before 1970.

The study area contains 22% of Staten Island’s inventory of office space.

Typical North Shore housing (Photo: EDC)

Approximately 70% of the office buildings in the study area are located in St. George and New Brighton-Snug Harbor.

EDC expects demand for office space on Staten Island to increase thru 2018.

EDC envisions the possibility of a North Shore Railroad along the ROW--if there is sufficient public support--with stations at:

Snug Harbor, West Brighton, Port Richmond, Elm Park, Mariners Harbor,  and Arlington

Atlantic Salt Company operations (Photo: Ann Meehan)

EDC considers these to be key North Shore concerns:

--Discontinuous land use patterns

--Disconnect between active waterfront and upland areas

--Significant growth in traffic congestion and delay

--Congested east-west transit linkages

--Struggling retail corridors

--Fragmented open space network

--Existing North Shore railroad ROW has been encroached upon

Ducks on Clove Lake (Photo: Ann Meehan)

EDC believes there are opportunites on the North Shore to:

--Relink the waterfront to the upland

--Celebrate maritime activity

--Create transit-supportive development opportunities

--Reuse toxic sites

--Build upon the extensive number of cultural and historic resources

--Add transit on the North Shore ROW and throughout  the corridor
 

John Signoriello can be contacted by email at  siexaminer@yahoo.com