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| Staten Island Ferris wheel, via Staten Island Live |
Staten Island is the last borough of New York City that comes to mind when it comes to discussing iconic architecture, however New York’s other island is in store for an architectural marvel, the world’s TALLEST Ferris wheel. Like the LondonEye and the Singapore Flyer, the new Ferris wheel in Staten Island will prove an instant landmark. New York’s tallest Ferris wheel as of 2012 is the ‘Wonder Wheel’ in Brooklyn, and at only 150 feet in height would be completely dwarfed by Staten Island’s new 600 foot plus behemoth.
The project is an excellent idea for a borough mostly forgotten by New Yorkers and tourists alike–if a tourist even ventures to Staten Island, it’s only for the (admittedly phenomenal) view from the ferry. The new Ferris wheel would provide an experience in Staten Island found nowhere else in the world, given the project’s expected 635 foot height.
Although the most visible component of the project is the Ferris wheel, which would be a significant improvement for what is currently surface parking, the rest of the redevelopment leaves much to be desired. The site, while in Staten Island, is still in a prime location even by New York City standards. The Staten Island ferry provides riders with a direct, scenic, 25-minute ride to Lower Manhattan. Given the reliability and frequency of ferries–especially during rush hour–the commute is enviable by any standards. Unfortunately, the largest component to the development besides the Ferris wheel is parking.
The entire development, which will also feature retail and potentially a hotel component, will have over 2,200 parking spaces in new garages. Parking is necessary in most parts of Staten Island given the lack of public transit, but no development in New York City needs 2,200 parking spaces, especially when one of the city’s most convenient transit options is just a few hundred feet away.
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| Aerial of St. George parking lots: the Ferris wheel would go on the northern lot, via Streetsblog |
New York would do very well to emulate the only other city it compares to on a geographic scale, which is Hong Kong. Both cities feature core downtown areas that have extremely limited land, which is why they are so uniquely vertical. As land has become increasingly scarce in Hong Kong, the outlying Lantau Island has become a new hub for development, particularly residential. Turning the area surrounding the Staten Island ferry landing into a pedestrian-friendly and dense neighborhood is important for several reasons.
The most important issue that a comprehensive and truly urban re-development would address is the dearth of housing options workers in Lower Manhattan must deal with. Rents in the city and convenient suburbs (including the boroughs) are incredibly high, and the trade-off for truly affordable housing is an arduous and long commute. Enhancing the area around the ferry terminal with high-density development, particularly residential, would help fix this issue. Staten Island is inexpensive yet the St. George area is completely underused, when it could and should be a bustling neighborhood for people who work in Manhattan.
At the same time, Staten Island is an afterthought for most New Yorkers. By creating an actual destination, Staten Island’s image would get a complete makeover. Many people refer to Staten Island as part of New Jersey, or even the sixth borough (after Jersey City)–if Staten Island had a thriving downtown like Brooklyn or Queens, this would not be the case. The problem with Staten Island isn’t that it’s too far from everything, it’s that the island is completely and entirely suburban, at least when it comes to the density that typifies New York City.
Building a new Ferris wheel would do well to draw attention to a part of New York that has long been neglected, but the proposed parking that would accompany the attraction is ridiculous. The parking situation is especially ridiculous given the site’s proximity to the ferry, and a comprehensive solution should be sought rather than a slap-dash plan for retail and a hotel. Amanda Burden has sliced towers and forced projects back to the drawing board, while Mayor Bloomberg has pushed for major re-zoning across the five boroughs. Why not rezone an area that is convenient, scenic, and potentially extremely desirable?
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