Going Coastal

Staten Island’s long-dormant waterfront will finally get some attention from City Hall.

The City Council yesterday passed a bill that mandates studies of New York City’s 578 miles of waterfront every 10 years, with the first comprehensive study due on the mayor’s desk no later than Dec. 31, 2010, officials said.

Island residents have wanted access to their waterfront for years, said Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn). He said he voted in favor of the bill because it would require the Department of City Planning and various other city agencies to get involved in discovering the many advantages of Staten Island’s waterfront.

“We’re very familiar with the disadvantages — lack of transportation, overdevelopment issues,” Oddo said. “But the waterfront also presents recreational opportunities, economic development opportunities and transportation opportunities.” He said study after study has been shelved because of a slow, uncooperative government at City Hall.

“This bill can only help,” he said. “For me, this is more wind on our backs to actually help us in what is a very daunting mission — reclaiming the waterfront.”

Last month, the The Regional/ Urban Design Assistance Team (R/UDAT), a group of urban planners who developed a vision for the Island, emphasized the waterfront’s untapped potential. Among the many options for the waterfront, the group cited a high-speed ferry to Manhattan, developing parks and supporting the growth of the Island’s maritime industry.

Amisha Padnani
Staten Island Advance