The New York City Council has unveiled a plan to transform Staten Island’s North Shore into a vibrant “downtown,” with more than 5,000 new homes, public realm upgrades, and jobs. Unveiled Friday by Speaker Julie Menin and Majority Whip Kamillah Hanks, “NorthShoreNYC” draws inspiration from similar initiatives in Jersey City and Hoboken, envisioning vacant and underutilized city-owned land along the waterfront as sites for mixed-use housing, public improvements, and new jobs. The project builds upon former Mayor Eric Adams’ 2023 North Shore Action Plan while addressing how current zoning rules, a historical lack of coordinated planning, and inadequate public investment have prevented the waterfront area from becoming a walkable community.
According to the Council, the plan was created to realize the tremendous housing opportunity the North Shore presents. With a vibrant waterfront, strong public transit access, and large sites ready for redevelopment, the area could see thousands of new homes and upgraded public amenities.
The project area stretches from St. George through Tompkinsville and Stapleton, encompassing major commercial corridors such as Bay Street, underutilized waterfront sites, and other areas targeted for new development.
For example, the nearly seven-acre city-owned site of a former hospital on Castleton Avenue could serve as the location for a new school and deliver more than 400 homes.
While Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Land Inventory Task Force currently identifies the site as a “pre-request-for-proposals” opportunity with 330 planned homes, NorthShoreNYC says its analysis suggests the property could accommodate even more, including apartment buildings and affordable homeownership townhomes.
Nearby, multiple vacant and underused properties at the intersection of Bay Street and Victory Boulevard could be transformed into new housing and neighborhood services while creating a better connection to the waterfront.
However, some council members say ballot measures approved in November have diminished their ability to oversee new development, according to Gothamist.
One of the measures established a panel that includes the mayor and can overrule the council’s land-use decisions. Under the new rules, developers seeking to rezone lots for additional housing can also bypass the Council in some cases.
According to Menin, NorthShoreNYC, aims to wrest more control over the area’s future development back to the Council. The plan also draws inspiration from waterfront initiatives in Jersey City, Hoboken, and Bayonne, which have experienced substantial residential growth in recent years.
In addition, the plan seeks to change local zoning rules, which currently restrict some portions of the area to commercial or manufacturing uses, limiting opportunities for residential development.
While two-story businesses, three-story homes, and some apartment buildings of up to 10 stories line areas zoned for residential use, the plan would permit buildings as tall as 14 stories, creating capacity for additional housing, according to Gothamist.
Though the plan envisions new development, it also considers how existing assets can be optimized to frame views and create a sense of place while introducing amenities that will encourage new residents to help sustain them.
While unveiling the plan last week, Menin and Hanks also announced more than $38 million in capital and expense discretionary funding for public improvement projects, local arts and cultural institutions, healthcare services, and youth programs across Staten Island.
Ten million dollars will go toward Richmond Terrace street improvements and the construction of the Tompkinsville Esplanade and Pier One Fishing Pier, which will connect the waterfront surrounding the Staten Island Ferry with the developing Stapleton waterfront.
Staten Island University Hospital has received $1.5 million to expand its Emergency Department, while $7.35 million will be allocated for needed roof and facade upgrades at the St. George Theatre.
“This Council is not afraid to think big and be bold when it comes to confronting the housing crisis and building a NYC for generations to come,” Menin said. “That’s why we are unveiling a vision to realize a ‘Downtown Staten Island’ that is a vibrant, walkable waterfront destination with thousands of homes, offering affordable options for people who love this borough.”
The plan complements several projects already underway across the North Shore. Last November, two sites in St. George, the Empire Outlets retail complex and the former site of a planned Ferris wheel, were identified for up to 2,500 new homes as part of a new mixed-use waterfront vision.
Planning is ongoing, with the environmental review process expected to begin in 2026 and construction targeted for 2029.
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