Neighbors of a former St. John’s College campus on Staten Island are apprehensive the bucolic web site will grow to be low-income housing – however officers say nothing is within the works but.
Locals within the hill neighborhood overlooking New York harbor are bracing for the chance {that a} developer will purchase the 16-5-acre web site and convert it into an enormous housing growth after 18 months with no bulletins about the way forward for the property, the Staten Island Advance first reported.
“None of the parties that we are in discussion with have expressed any interest in constructing low-income housing,” St. John’s mentioned in a press release.
St. John’s, whose major campus in Queens remains to be totally functioning, closed the campus after years of declining enrollment and put it up on the market with hopes that one other college would purchase the property and hold it largely intact.
However with no official announcement, rumors have swirled and considerations have mounted.
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella mentioned he’s involved the property shall be vacant for an prolonged interval, like the previous Mount Manresa retreat web site in Fort Wadsworth close to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge — which closed a decade in the past.
“It’s one of the nicest neighborhoods in New York City. The St. John’s campus site has the best views of New York harbor, and one of the best views of a waterway in the country,” Fossella mentioned.
“So far, it sits empty.”
Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks additionally she mentioned needs the property bought to a purchaser who will keep the picturesque character of Grymes Hill.
“I made a commitment to ensure we will have a buyer the community will be in favor of. Neighbors have a right to be concerned,” Hanks mentioned.
There’s been discussions with Wagner Faculty concerning the web site, however the property seems to be bigger than Wagner’s wants. Different faculties have proven curiosity in establishing a foothold within the metropolis — however in Manhattan.
Nashville-based Vanderbilt College entered a lease settlement with the Basic Theological Seminary to take over 13 buildings and almost 150,000 sq. toes of area in Chelsea.
In the meantime, Boston-based Northeastern College is absorbing Marymount Faculty on the Higher East Aspect.
The previous St. John’s property is well-known to President-elect Donald Trump. The Trump Group, then run by his father, Fred, as soon as owned the close by Grymes Hill backyard flats and Donald visited the advanced.
Fossela quipped that perhaps enterprise mogul Elon Musk — who has emerged as a high adviser to Trump — might generate one thing particular for the vacated campus.
“If Elon Musk is interested, we will give him a personal tour,” he mentioned.
