New York’s Staten Island — Residents of Grymes Hills who live near the immaculate 16.5-acre campus of St. John University in Staten Island say they are still awaiting word on what will take the place of the venerable educational institution, which was officially closed six months ago.
One homeowner, who has lived close to the school for 40 years, said that after meetings and chats, things abruptly stopped. The community feels quite uneasy about the lack of information being provided. They pledged not to alter the neighborhood’s character. Why not be more open if that were the case?
Several neighbors on campus agreed, stating that they had heard similar tales about replacements.
Another resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “We’re hearing it might be multi-family apartment-style housing; maybe even with a low-income component.” Although we don’t deny the necessity of multifamily housing, it is undoubtedly an issue for our community, which is already beset by traffic. There is no more conversation. There are no longer any public platforms where we may express our concerns. We genuinely believe that our officials have failed us.
However, St. John’s stated that those claims were unfounded.
Savills, the real estate advisor of St. John’s University, is still assessing possible purchasers for the Staten Island Campus. St. John’s University spokesperson Brian Browne made the following observation in a statement when contacted about the low-income housing rumors and asked for an update.
The site has drawn attention from a number of parties, and discussions are still ongoing, Browne continued. No interest in building affordable homes has been shown by any of the companies with whom we are negotiating. Until this procedure is completed successfully, the university is still dedicated to finding a suitable partner for the campus.
In 2022, St. John’s first said that it will close the Grymes Hill campus due to a 63% enrollment drop that was made worse by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. School officials have held a number of public gatherings and stated their desire to keep a positive rapport with the community. Browne disclosed that the university was having a serious and close conversation with a possible buyer during an April meeting of the Grymes Hill Estates Association. However, he acknowledged that the disclosure of names and facts was restricted due to certain contingencies.
According to a third Grymes Hill resident, who also chose not to be identified, “I’ve been to all of the Grymes Hill Association meetings, but it’s just the same story over and over.” It is quite depressing that St. John’s is keeping everyone in the dark and attributing the limited information flow to non-disclosure agreements. We were informed that a charter school was taking over once it was sold, and now we’re hearing more about low-income housing. They assured me they would choose wisely. However, I believe that money is the main factor. Whoever is willing to pay the most will be chosen by St. John’s. Furthermore, is that the best option for Staten Island?
Originally established in 1934 as a Catholic women’s undergraduate institution, Notre Dame College was a community leader for almost 30 years. In the late 1960s, St. John’s University purchased the institution, merged the original Notre Dame College with the St. John’s campus in Brooklyn, and began providing undergraduate degrees in business, education, and liberal arts on Staten Island in 1971.
Over the following 20 years, the Staten Island school expanded significantly, adding multiple facilities to house the over 3,000 students enrolled. According to the institution, 2,309 undergraduate and graduate students were enrolled overall in the fall of 2000. However, the institution pointed out that by the fall of 2021, that number had fallen to just 861 students, forcing the closure and starting the sales process.
Savills Inc., the university’s real estate adviser, has promoted the campus as a pre-assembled turnkey prospect that is especially well-suited for an educational facility, Browne has reaffirmed. However, he also recognized that the school’s R3-1 zoning is residential in nature, which legally allows the construction of detached residences as well as semi-detached one- and two-family homes.
Referring to the unsuccessful development of the Mount Manresa site in Fort Wadsworth, Borough President Vito Fossella has been outspoken about the Staten Island campus not becoming another Manresa. He said he understands the concerns of the neighbors, but he thinks St. John’s has been transparent throughout this process.
He said, “We have had honest and open discussions with St. John’s.” Nothing has changed, as far as I know. Whether it’s an educational facility or something that fits Grymes Hill’s ethos, they are still thinking about what the community would support. I am aware that low-income housing has been discussed, but I haven’t heard that from any reliable sources. Ultimately, we cannot compel St. John’s to do anything because it is their property. However, they have been forthright and truthful thus far, saying they are trying to act in the community’s best interests, and I believe them.
No land use or rezoning applications had been submitted to the NYC Planning Commission as of the time of publishing, and St. John’s University was still identified as the property’s owner in city records. Residents expressed apprehension despite this.
One neighbor came to the conclusion, “Consider how you would feel if you lived right here.” There is no notion what might occupy this enormous area. What’s frightening us is the secrecy. We only ask that you be truthful with your neighbors.
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