St. George — the first stretch of Staten Island most New Yorkers ever set foot on, thanks to the ferry terminal — is in the middle of one of the most ambitious neighborhood reimaginings in the borough’s history. A new city plan could put up to 2,500 new homes on the North Shore, the long-stalled Lighthouse Point project is finally fully open, and a cluster of five major developments around Hamilton Avenue and Stuyvesant Place has neighbors talking. Here’s the local insider’s tour.
The Empire Outlets / NY Wheel Site: A 2,500-Home Reimagining
NYCEDC and Council Member Kamillah Hanks have unveiled a new vision to reimagine the Empire Outlets retail complex and the former New York Wheel site as a mixed-use waterfront neighborhood with up to 2,500 new homes, plus open space, retail, and community amenities. The plan needs a rezoning and is expected to enter the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) in the first half of 2026, with a goal of approval the following year. For St. George, this is the biggest shift in decades.
Lighthouse Point: A Decade-Long Project Comes to Life
The 115-unit Lighthouse Point development launched in 2025 after nearly a decade of delays. The first phase delivers 115 residential units, around 60,000 square feet of commercial space, and 274 parking spots — a meaningful new chunk of waterfront life right next to the ferry terminal.
The Hamilton Avenue Cluster — and the Pushback
A package of five marquee developments is planned within a two-block radius of Hamilton Avenue and Stuyvesant Place. Residents and elected officials are warning that the density could overwhelm local infrastructure and have called for a holistic, citywide planning approach that accounts for traffic, parking, deliveries, and the neighborhood’s narrow streets. Together the projects would add nearly 1,000 residential units but provide only about 500 off-street parking spaces — a ratio that has drawn the most attention at recent meetings.
What You Need to Know
- Up to 2,500 new homes are proposed for the Empire Outlets and former NY Wheel site. ULURP is expected to start in the first half of 2026.
- Lighthouse Point is fully open. 115 units, 60,000 sq ft of commercial space, and 274 parking spots are now in active use.
- Watch the Hamilton/Stuyvesant cluster. Five projects, ~1,000 units, ~500 parking spots — community meetings are heating up.
- Getting there: The Staten Island Ferry runs every 15–30 minutes from Whitehall in Manhattan and drops you a one-minute walk from the action.
- What to do once you’re there: Walk the Esplanade for skyline views, catch a show at the historic St. George Theatre, or grab a bite at the restaurants in Empire Outlets while it’s still in its current form.
The Vibe Right Now
St. George still feels like the front porch of Staten Island — Manhattan glittering across the harbor, the ferry horn echoing off the brick, neighbors arguing about parking on a stoop near Stuyvesant Place. But the next two years will likely reshape the neighborhood more than the last twenty did. If you’ve never made the trip, this spring is the right time. Take the ferry, walk the waterfront, peek up at the historic homes on the hillside, and notice where the cranes are. You’ll be looking at St. George right before its next chapter begins.
For more from the borough this week, see our Staten Island This Week roundup.
