ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO CRAIN’S NEW YORK BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT —ON— he forgotten borough is capturing everyone’s attention. And Baran points out the continued expansion efforts by Island natives Rich- Staten Island appeal is moving beyond the attractions on the ard and Lois Nicotra. The husband and wife team run the Nicotra Group, Tbustling North Shore, spreading to the rest of the island. which owns, manages, and leases more than one million square feet of prime commercial space, including eight Class A office buildings, the “The spotlight is finally on Staten Island and a lot of people are start- Hilton Garden Inn, and a Hampton Inn & Suites in a 415-acre natural ing to recognize us,” said Linda Baran, president of the Staten Island wildlife preserve in the Corporate Park of Staten Island. The Nicotra Chamber of Commerce. Group’s latest project is the ongoing construction of the eight story 330,000 square foot office building, which will generate an estimated Corporate giants Amazon and IKEA each recently built fulfillment cen- 2,500 full- and part-time jobs. ters on Staten Island, generating hundreds of jobs. Baran said that while transportation remains an issue, the proximity to waterfront and logis- The Chamber president notes while retail is in retraction in much of tics helps as has a “big push” by Borough President James Oddo to devel- the country, there’s a “boom” on Staten Island, with the redevelop- op the West Shore. ment of the Staten Is- land Mall, the arrival of “For a long time, it “ The spotlight is finally on Staten Island and a lot the Empire Outlets, was difficult attract- and a new shopping ing larger compa- of people are starting to recognize us.” center coming to New nies, but the water- Dorp with 60 retailers front is untapped. –Linda Baran, president Staten Island Chamber of Commerce including an Alamo Our waterfront is a Drafthouse. true asset. There are large swatches of vacant land, especially compared to the rest of the “We are seeing thousands of visitors a day from across the globe visit city, and now developers and others are coming here,” she said. Empire Outlets and the North Shore of Staten Island. Tourists are no longer taking the ferry right back to Manhattan, but staying to enjoy “The surge in development activity in Staten Island, specifically the our shops, restaurants, and cultural institutions,” said Travis Noyes, St. George waterfront, is indicative of a larger transformation taking senior vice president of Empire Outlets. place in the borough, one in which we’re thrilled to be involved in,” said Lester Petracca, Triangle Equities’ president and CEO. “Nearing Resident and business owner Barbara Young is pleased to see all the completion in the coming months, Phase I of Lighthouse Point will new projects in the borough. deliver to the waterfront a mix of retail shops, indoor and outdoor restaurants, entertainment space and a 12-story residential tower “Once there was nothing to do here but now you look at the Empire with 20 percent affordable units. Once this initial phase of our $250 Outlets, the Staten Island Mall, and a new mall being built in New million project officially opens, we expect it to contribute to the revi- Dorp and you say, ‘Oh wow, there are things to do on Staten Island,’” talization currently taking place in the area.” she said. Broadway Stages is converting the former Arthur Kill Correctional Fa- The founder of Barbara Young Medical Billing Services said her busi- cility in the Charleston section into Staten Island Stages, with one of ness has been expanding in recent years, in part because with more five soundstages already completed on a 69-acre campus. people moving to Staten Island, “we now have a need for more health care services.” “Staten Island has been such a welcoming community and we look forward to continuing to build our relationships with the local busi- “All this development has people coming back and it’s creating a lot nesses, organizations, and residents of the Island,” said president and of buzz,” Baran said. “It is also trickling down to small businesses and CEO Gina Argento. contributing to our local economy.” %DAY_OF_WEEK_DATE% | CRAIN’S NEW YORK BUSINESS | 99 COPY EDITOR______ COLD READER______ WRITER______ SENIOR EDITOR______ FINAL______ SPOTLIGHT ON STATEN ISLAND been incremental but it is definitely The impact of each development Linda Baran, president of Chamber on the upswing,” said Janet Dugo, the spreads beyond its own doors— of Commerce, said they are starting Museums, Music, More: Chamber’s project manager of the Prendamano states that Urby is at to draw Brooklyn businesses out to Downtown Staten Island Commer- 97.5% occupancy and now restau- the area too. She said another sign of Staten Island’s Growing cial District. “There’s a change and rants are opening in the area that are positive change is the merchants in one part is that entrepreneurs finally drawing customers from throughout the area are moving to create a busi- Leisure Options feel there is potential here.” the borough. ness improvement district. “There’s tremendous growth opportunity The Chamber is also doing its share to boost the area. Dugo said that one here. There’s such demand for housing and focus has been on fostering a sense of connection even in the “retail des- people want a walkable commuity and erts” like the stretch where an MTA station and a new MTA police station transit-based development.” consume real estate. The Chamber hung banners on cyclone fencing –James Prendamano, CEO of Casandra Properties Inc. that beautified the site and “provided bread crumbs to point people toward “Staten Island as a whole has been Yana Azbel saw the new develop- the next commercial area, saying, St. George Theatre is proud to be part of shockingly stagnant since 1975 but ments and last year decided to open ‘Don’t worry, keep going.’” these developments have had a pro- Love Your Furniture Again Antiques or years, the main topic of con- Wu-Tang Clan, Shoalin’s famous na- found impact,” said James Prenda- in Stapleton, which, she said, was The Chamber also used grant mon- versation when it came to enter- tive sons, to open The Flying Guillo- staten island community. mano, CEO of Casandra Properties once home to many antique stores. ey to aid beautification and store- Ftainment and leisure options on tine, a kung fu-themed bar. A Shore Thing: Inc. a commercial real estate agency. “I think this will eventually be a nice front improvements (new signage, Staten Island was the proposal for the “Ten years back this area was not as location like Park Slope,” she said. better lighting) along one four-block New York Wheel, which at 630 feet “The growth has been small and Staten Island’s North Shore appealing but I am bullish on it now,” “Business has been getting better stretch as a catalyst. “That prompted was to be the world’s largest Ferris steady, despite the Wheel not going and better. It’s going to be a great other stores to make their own im- wheel, drawing people from far and up,” said Doreen Cugno, president Booms Along Bay Street “There’s tremendous growth oppor- area again.” provements,” Dugo said. wide to the borough’s North Shore. and CEO of the St. George Theatre tunity here,” he added. “There’s such But even as the proposal shuddered and one of the pioneers on the North he most eye-catching project Cugno, president and CEO of the St. demand for housing and people to a halt, the entertainment menu Shore, whose efforts to restore the on the North Shore of Staten George Theatre, who points to crucial want a walkable community and continued expanding. theater 16 years ago were, along with T Island near the ferry terminal new projects like the Empire Outlets transit-based development.” the arrival of the Staten Island Yan- fell apart last year but while the future mall and Lighthouse Point, (luxury The Staten Island Arts’ Cinema Con- kees, a profound first step in the area’s of site of the New York Wheel is un- apartments, a hotel and office space) Prendamano said all this growth has nex has created a free screening series revival. Back then, she recalls, her certain, its legacy is a positive one. that followed in the Wheel’s initial produced lots of winners and very few and the Chamber of Commerce has building was considered a white ele- wake. While the 630-foot Wheel is not losers, unlike many gentrification pro- hosted free outdoor music events. phant and ticket buyers would ask if it The spotlight on what was to be the happening, there’s now talk of a cesses in other neighborhoods. “This world’s largest Ferris wheel helped smaller version on the site. wasn’t big bad developers pushing “The last few years have seen a true spur development in the Bay Street people out— in all these develop- WWW.BROADWAY-STAGES.COM Corridor region—from St. George The birth of those projects and others ments; we took down a total of three renaissance on the heels of brand new energy to Stapleton and Tompkinsville— like The Accolade condos at 90 Bay St. houses and created a market that that is bearing fruit for others. and the Urby Staten Island luxury didn’t exist,” he said. “People used to and investment, notably in the wake of Empire rental complex in Stapleton have be- go through these neighborhoods and Untitled-2 1 9/9/19 5:28 PM “The Wheel drew well-deserved at- gun a transformation of the Bay now they want to live there.” Outlets’ development and opening, as well as tention to this area,” said Doreen Street Corridor region.