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As a Staten Island Realtor and a resident of Staten Island’s North Shore, one of my passions is staying up-to-date with North Shore news and local happenings. Within the past year, I wrote about many exciting developments that I think all Staten Islanders should know about; including the New York Wheel, Empire Outlets, Lighthouse Point, Staten Island Makerspace, the Stapleton waterfront, and many more. Well, I’m back to give you some updates on some of these, and get you excited about what to look forward to in 2015, right around the corner!
Empire Outlets
You may already be aware that Nordstrom’s Rack, a 34,000-square-foot Rack store that offers shoes, apparel and accessories, is scheduled to open in fall 2016 as one of Empire Outlet’s anchor stores. Although we are still waiting for BFC Partners to release more information about who else will occupy the retail space, there is no question that construction on Empire Outlets is underway.
In fact, Staten Island Ferry commuters may have already noticed some changes and additions to the ferry terminal over the past few months. A sales suite/leasing office for The New York Wheel and Empire Outlets opened up in this past October in the ferry terminal, giving interested commuters information about the 900 rental apartments that will soon be available once the project is complete.
As of December 1st the 300 parking spaces in Lot A, located next to the terminal, will be unavailable until the construction of Empire Outlets is completed. To accommodate commuters, 800 monthly parking permits will be offered for all spaces in lots B and C, and five temporary parking lots will have shuttle service to the terminal.
The five remote lots will compensate for any losses of the 300 parking spaces, and are located at 680 Richmond Terrace, 22 Academy Place, 475 Bay Street, 40 Prospect Street, and 355 Front Street. Shuttle service times will be posted at each of the lots.
Once the project is complete, parking lots designated for commuter use will be available in the newly constructed parking garage.
The National Lighthouse Museum
Making major headway is the development of the National Lighthouse Museum, located at the former US Lighthouse Service Depot and on the future grounds of Lighthouse Point. After 16 long years, the National Lighthouse Museum is finally settling in at its new home located adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry. The museum will be one feature of Lighthouse Point, a development that will include 100 residential units, a hotel, a variety of retail shops and dining options, open space and parking.
Currently, the museum is open to the public, holding educational programs and special events such as lectures, festivals, lighthouse trails and conferences. Site tours are available by appointment. Because work is currently underway on the Educational Resource Center in Building 11, there is no charge for admission. Guests can view the ongoing work being done on the current exhibits and visit the Museum Gift Shop. The first phase of construction is scheduled to be completed this upcoming spring.
Current exhibits include a Wall of Lights Exhibit, which consists of a variety of over 150 miniature lighthouse models on display, illustrating the many types of lighthouses seen throughout the world. Integrated into this structure is a database that allows visitors to access information about specific lighthouses around the world. Exhibits under construction off-site include the Purpose of Lighthouses, Lighthouse Technology, Lighthouse Keepers, Lighthouse History and National Lighthouse Museum History.
The National Lighthouse Museum continues to provide special events, presentations and lighthouse tours while work is being done on the museum. For more information on how to contribute to the development of the exhibits and the future of the museum, or for a list of upcoming events, visit http://lighthousemuseum.org/
Staten Island Makerspace
This past year I posted two blogs and featured a video on North Shore Buzz highlighting Staten Island Makerspace, Staten Island’s first small business incubator. Sponsored by the NYCEDC, Makerspace takes the “do it yourself” idea to a whole new level as it gives both skilled craftspeople and hobbyists the opportunity to make their ideas come to life.
What was once a metal shop has been transformed into a creative community workspace for artists, craftspeople, makers, and hobbyists… and has certainly made headlines! Makerspace has proven to be as creative and inspiring as promised, drawing in hundreds of individuals with classes, workshops, events and celebrations. Check out their website for a list of upcoming workshops and classes, open to all ages and skill levels. Use Makerspace to “dream, create, make!”
Stay tuned…
Over the next few weeks I hope to continue to bring you more information about new businesses, restaurants and other upcoming events taking place on Staten Island’s North Shore. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy a restful holiday season with your friends and family. There truly is no better time of year!
If you are looking to buy a home or any real estate on Staten Island and want to know more, please don’t hesitate to contact me on Facebook or Twitter. Even better, my website is full of helpful information about the different North Shore neighborhoods, local businesses, news and events. I look forward to meeting up with you soon!