Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker 2019) The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced today the start of a new infrastructure project that will bring better drainage new infrastructure and wider and improved streets to more than 50 blocks in New Dorp Beach that were severely affected by Superstorm Sandy which is being managed by DDC for DEP and DOT is projected to be completed in summer 2022 “This infrastructure investment will significantly improve the sewer system and water delivery services in a section of New Dorp Beach that was particularly hard hit by Superstorm Sandy,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza this project will greatly increase the neighborhood’s stormwater drainage capacity making it more resilient to better manage future severe wet weather events I want to thank our partners at DDC and DOT for working together with us to provide this community with some much-needed upgrades.” “Superstorm Sandy devastated so much of New York City but few were as hard hit as the people of New Dorp which saw unprecedented flooding that wrecked homes and roads—and reduced mobility and quality of life for residents and commuters alike,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg thanks to the tri-agency infrastructure project being announced today New Dorp will receive major transportation improvements: wider streets Thanks to the leadership of Mayor de Blasio to prioritize the needs of the New Dorp—and make smart improvements that will help minimize the effects of future storms.” “This is a tremendous investment by the de Blasio Administration that will bring huge improvements to an area that was greatly affected by Superstorm Sandy,” said DDC Commissioner Lorraine Grillo “DDC is completing over 20 infrastructure all across Staten Island and will continue to work with DEP and DOT to manage resources effectively to improve the lives of the borough’s residents.” “During my time in the City Council in the days following Hurricane Sandy we learned that the Bloomberg Administration decided to move two important infrastructure projects—Phase III of the South Beach sewer project and this New Dorp Beach sewer project—into the oblivion of Fiscal Years 2022-2025 The designs of these projects were well underway but the final design could not be completed until the projects were fully funded which meant we were facing a potential decade of delays The New Dorp Beach sewer project is vital for New Dorp Beach residents so I fought for the Bloomberg Administration to rectify this error and allocate the funding for the projects immediately These efforts paid off and then-Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway helped to get the $100 million in funding restored for both projects I am grateful to see the New Dorp Beach sewer project underway to finally improve the drainage and streets for New Dorp Beach residents some of whom are still fighting to recover from Hurricane Sandy,” said Borough President James Oddo “It took years of constant pressure from the Borough President and me to finally secure a commitment from the previous administration to accelerate work on this very important project I am very pleased that the DEP and DDC are finally getting it started,” said City Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo “It’s hard to overstate what a game changer this new water management infrastructure and additional resiliency projects on the East Shore will be for the residents of New Dorp Beach for whom persistent and severe flooding and ponding has become an unfortunate part of life.” “The start of the New Dorp Beach sewer and infrastructure project is long-awaited welcome news for local residents,” said State Senator Adam Lanza “The stories of flooded roads have been shared time and again With this $77 million investment into the New Dorp Beach community the substandard infrastructure that led to pooling and flooding waters should soon be a past memory.” “There has been severe flooding issues in New Dorp Beach going back to my days as a student at New Dorp High School,” said Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis “This is the type of investment in infrastructure that’s needed from the city We have long advocated for new storm sewers and catch basins and it’s reassuring to know that they are on their way.” Cedar Grove Avenue will be widened by an average of seven feet between New Dorp Lane and Ebbitts Street The neighborhood will also receive new street lighting plus new street signage pavement markings and eight new reinforced concrete bus pads The project will also add 28 new fire hydrants and replace 47 existing ones To improve street drainage and reduce flooding the project will install 9,500 feet of new storm sewers in the neighborhood ranging from 12 inches in diameter all the way up to 8 feet wide by 5 feet high and replace another 200 feet of existing storm sewers There will be 152 new catch basins added to capture stormwater and direct it to the new sewer system More than 16,500 feet of existing sanitary sewers will be replaced Overall the project will reconstruct 3.8 miles of roadways curb-to-curb with a new concrete base and 51,300 square yards of new asphalt About 140,000 square feet of new sidewalks will be added with another 35,000 square feet being replaced Over 26,000 feet of new curbs will be installed and 8,000 feet of old curb will be replaced NYC is a trademark and service mark of the City of New York Privacy Policy. Terms of Use.  By JoAnne Castagna During the intense winds and flooding of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 New York trying to help his neighbors stranded in the dark “I went into my home to get a flashlight and when I left The wind pushed the roof off a large catering hall behind my house and it came crashing down Joseph McAllister doesn’t want to witness this again and today he’s using his role as the President of the South Beach Civic Association to ensure that their community is going to be better prepared for future coastal storms that are becoming stronger and more frequent New York District has a coastal storm risk management plan in place that will help reduce coastal impacts along Staten Island’s east coast and Oakwood Beach during future coastal storms Staten Island is the southernmost borough of New York City and is situated at the southernmost point of the state of New York The borough is separated from the adjacent state of New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and Kill Van Kull waterways and from the rest of New York State by New York Bay New York City was severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy.  Staten Island was hardest hit and a 20-foot storm surge that washed away homes along the borough’s East coast This didn’t stop the McAllister’s and the rest of their South Beach Community Emergency Response Team from trying to help their community laying in deep water that smelled like spilled diesel fuel.  People screaming from their roofs for help and some walking around in a trance because they were in shock that their homes were gone “At a high vantage point were able to see that our house and whole block was surrounded by this deep We were minutes away from being drowned.” Sandy resulted in 24 deaths on Staten Island Most of them occurring on the East and South shores Many of the victims drowned in their homes This wasn’t the first time the borough of 468,374 residents was severely impacted by a hurricane Other recent major storms included the Nor’easter of December 1992 including nearly 7,300 residential and commercial properties and schools which served as shelters in the aftermath of Sandy To better prepare Staten Island for another Hurricane Sandy the Army Corps is working on a long-term solution “The size and design of this project is for a storm bigger than Sandy it could have alleviated Sandy’s damages.” Verga who is also a Staten Island resident added “The project will include a nearly 5-mile seawall that will provide a line of protection a barrier to the water that will come in from an ocean event we’ll have all-natural ponding areas that will allow water to hold until events are finished.” This complex project has been years in the making because it covers such a large area and requires major design and coordination with multiple agencies including the State of New York and local community groups like the South Beach Civic Association The Association has held many public meetings with the Army Corps to discuss the project.  “The purpose of our organization is to deal with quality-of-life issues for our residents,” said Joseph McAllister who has lived on Staten Island for 60 years and has overseen the South Beach Civic Association with his wife since 2000 Now that the project is starting to move forward the Army Corps will be attending more meetings with the McAllister’s to discuss the project details that will include the following all-natural ponding areas will be constructed on land that will receive and store stormwater runoff from large drainage areas to allow water to hold until storm events are finished and later in Midland Beach and in Oakwood Beach road closure gate and tide gate will be constructed near Great Kills Park to keep tidal waters back Tide gates will also be constructed in Oakwood Beach along the existing creek as well as construction of a flood wall around the Oakwood Beach Waste Water Treatment Plant that will also keep water back with an elevation of 21 feet will be constructed The wall will run along the east coast of the borough from the edge of Fort Wadsworth in the north that’s just south of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge In front of the seawall in the Oakwood Beach area The wetland’s vegetation will help stabilize the land and will help build the ecological resiliency of the coast to respond to increasing sea -level rise the Army Corps will be reconstructing the existing boardwalk that will continue to provide public access to Midland Beach and South Beach New York City has plans to build six natural and recreational areas in and around the seawall that will include bike paths The McAllister’s are looking forward to this work being done “We absolutely support the sea wall solution,” said Joseph McAllister.  “We understand that the Army Corps wants to do it right and that it takes time and planning My father was a civil engineer with the government going way back.” “Of course our association members are frustrated.  They want the seawall now You do it right the first time.’” The entire project is expected to be completed within a decade After this the Army Corps will monitor it for any necessary changes due to future sea level rise while the State and City of New York will be responsible for operating and maintaining the project “In the future our hope is to get that seawall so we can protect many generations down the road besides ourselves they don’t have to worry about getting a seawall their community has quality of life and are not fearful that something like another Sandy could happen again and wash away their homes and businesses.” Dr. JoAnne Castagna is a public affairs specialist and writer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.  She can be reached at JoAnne.Castagna@usace.army.mil Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Yet residents of Staten Island's New Dorp Beach neighborhood say the response from virtually all public service agencies has been inadequate We also encountered an army of volunteers who'd descended from around the city to provide relief diapers and sheer manpower to help clean out flooded homes.  But locals said that while they were grateful for their efforts the principal outstanding problems — electricity lighting and gasoline — could only be addressed by government agencies And they said they were nowhere to be found New Dorp resident Carlos Franceschini said it took officials five days to bring any kinds of lights to the area where power remains completely shut off and access to water remains limited "There's been no assistance," Franeschini told us adding "Everything we have the public has given to us — they bought it at Home Depot None of it came from the city or government." He said road clearing operations hadn't begun until several days after the storm. Indeed we saw one of the CAT bulldozers above stuck in traffic as we walked toward the area Sunday afternoon: He'd managed to avoid having a red-placard declaring one's home completely uninhabitable lucking out instead with a yellow sign saying access to his home was "restricted."  and that he'd have to live at a nearby friend's house for the foreseeable future "Every day the smell gets worse," he said.  He'd been forced to siphon the gas out of his totaled cars too we found a sizable number of tables that had been set up to serve hot food: who lives on the other side of the island and had come down to volunteer said it had been organized by volunteers from around the city 'Here we are.' It's neighbor helping neighbor Residents also said they've already been flummoxed by how FEMA is handling claims.  Resident Cathy Murphy said the agency told her they'd be mailing her a check But she did not know how the post office would be able to deliver the check to her home when roads remained clogged and her home remained gutted We actually located the one FEMA inspector for the area He immediately declined to give us any details about himself with one exception: he said he'd been called up from Puerto Rico The area was not totally devoid of official response FEMA and the National Guard were staging operations out of nearby New Dorp high school But we never saw anyone in military fatigues just a lot of NYPD officers detailed to ward off looters we came across the main drop-off point for small item donations There seemed to be more helpers there than residents in need We were told by one volunteer that the operation was being run by "the guy in a maroon shirt." SEE ALSO: How the MTA Is Pumping Floodwater Out Of The Subway > .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Diane C. Lore | For the Advance/SILive.comShore Photos -- July 3 Members of the newly-formed New Dorp Beach Civic Association are sworn in by Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakas -- A Staten Island community hard hit by Hurricane Sandy has come together to form the New Dorp Beach Civic Association The goal of the not-for-profit community organization will be to help residents of New Dorp Beach become aware of the resources available to them in the wake of the storm the need for community representation became evident That is why we formed the New Dorp Beach Civic Association,” said Nicole Romano-Levine “The group plans to remain in action long after the community’s needs concerning Sandy have been rectified.” The organization officially incorporated in April and held its first installation of officers last Wednesday Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) presided over the ceremony “It was an honor to perform the induction ceremony for the executive board Staten Island’s civic associations do such great work for our community and New Dorp Beach saw the opportunity and need to form a group to discuss and address the issues residents have been facing.” said Ms Romano-Levine and her founding members did an amazing job in getting this off the ground so quickly I look forward to working with the New Dorp Beach Civic in the years to come,” the legislator added “We want our community to become whole again,” said Ms “We know that with time and the cooperation from various government agencies and other organizations we will accomplish this goal People are still suffering from the effects of Sandy and it is vital that people know all of the information and resources available to them this is the civic association’s top priority,” she added For information about the civic association .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a} A P-38 at Miller Field in the 1930s was introduced into overseas combat by the 102nd Observaton Squadron which was based at the New Dorp airfiled from 1923 to 1940 Battered but still standing are the Historic hangars at Miller Field Then: The bottom of New Dorp Lane facing the beach Then: Miller Field is on the left behind the fence as New Dorp Lane rolls down to the beach front 1946 (Courtesy Richmond Historical Society) Now: Looking down New Dorp Lane towards the waterfront Miller Field is on the left still open space where families play and sports take over in the warmer months Grimshaw's view of New Dorp Lane and Bungalow row in New Dorp Now: A row of full size homes lines lower New Dorp Lane Miller field on the right and New Dorp High School in the distance (From the collection of the New York Public Library) Now: Britton Cottage now on the grounds of Historic Richmond Town The Britton Cottage is now located on the north side of Richmond Road at the foot of Court Place It originally stood at the foot of present-day New Dorp Lane It was moved to Historic Richmond Town in 1965 The Britton Cottage is a one and one-half story fieldstone and wood frame farmhouse The center section of the house dates to ca Then: Pizza Clown close to Hylan Boulevard (Photos Courtesy Staten Island Historical Society) Now: New Dorp Lane Gennaro's pizzeria near Hylan Boulevard is still a pizzeria Then: Looking down New Dorp Lane through Hylan Boulevard (Photos Courtesy Staten Island Historical Society) Now: Busy intersection at New Dorp Lane and Hylan Boulevard looking north down the lane Then: 1995 Shoppers stroll along New Dorp Lane Now: Looking down New Dorp Lane towards Richmond Road The billiards sign use to be a Laundromat sign at Clawson Avenue Then: Looking down Clawson Avenue at the lane Then: View of New Dorp Lane looking down Clawson Street 1956 (Photos Courtesy Staten Island Historical Society) Now:  Looking at New Dorp Lane from Clawson Avenue Mike's Place on 335 New Dorp Lane.2005 Now: Mike's Place is a stable on the lane Now: Looking at Mike's Place on New Dorp Lane Now: The Crown Palace that used to be Toto's on New Dorp Lane (Photo Courtesy Staten Island Historical Society) Then: View of New Dorp Lane with a US military truck and radar scanner on top and electronic equipment Looking up the lane towards New Dorp Plaza.1953 Now: New Dorp Lane standing at the Sound Shop looking north Then: Looking toward the train tracks up New Dorp Lane Now: Looking north towards the train station Now: Looking down the center of New Dorp Lane The Lane in New Dorp was one of Staten Island's most popular movie houses It has tried to reopen many times under different guises The reopened lane theater shows the Dead Poets Society The Lane Theater in a low state covered with graffiti The historic Lane theater became the EleMent night Club Now: New Dorp Lane Theater is home to Crossroads Church The old New Dorp train station.1920's Now: Looking at New Dorp Train station at New Dorp Plaza The trains run below street level.(Staten Island Advance) 2016 Then: View of New Dorp Lane at Richmond Road of the Clawson House on New Dorp Lane in New Dorp Grimshaw (1854 - 1931) Dates: 20th Century Signature/Inscription: Front: New Dorp Lane Grimshaw Handwritten note: "Clawson House; Reverse: Purchased 1925 See 1797 map-Big house added on to small part which is probably of 1776 or there-abouts .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Virginia N. Sherry | sherry@siadvance.comShore Photos -- August 21 I know how much this building and your friends mean to you," City Councilman James Oddo tells the rallying seniors explaining that the church was built on Parks Department property outspoken group of about 150 Staten Island seniors turned out last Saturday morning carrying hand-written signs and small American flags to protest the continuing closure of the New Dorp Friendship Club located since 1993 on the ground floor of Our Lady of Lourdes R.C The club has been shuttered since Hurricane Sandy swept through and wrecked the space last October Over 150 seniors belonged to the club and “now we’re all separated,” said New Dorp Beach’s Dolores McNaughton The club’s varied activities — from cards and Bingo to exercise knitting and crocheting — “kept your brain occupied,” she commented members have traveled together to the Catskills and other places “I’m so happy we have a very nice crowd today,” said Shirley Newman of New Dorp a member of the Friendship Club for almost two decades “This is an event to bring attention to the fact that the club is closed and find out now how we can get it reopened,” said Dennis McKeon executive director of the nonprofit Where to Turn which sponsored the rally along with Beacon of Hope NY state and federal governments are unable to help the alternative is to “get volunteers and private money,” he said and we do more than dance,” said New Dorp Beach resident Jenny Casalino who took the mic to speak to the assembled seniors “It gives us a reason to get up in the morning and go out.” “This place is keeping me alive,” added Joe LaGuardia The people are wonderful,” he said as the crowd cheered The New Dorp club now operates out of the Great Kills Friendship Club and some members are also going to the Arrochar Friendship Club and for seniors from New Dorp Beach who do not drive it is difficult to travel to these clubs on a daily basis “I’ve been going to Great Kills (Friendship Club) but it’s very crowded,” said Annette Connolly of Bay Terrace She enjoyed the New Dorp club “because of all my friends I know how much this building and your friends mean to you,” City Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn) told the gathered seniors He explained that in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy “a secret was uncovered” about Our Lady of Lourdes chapel “This is city-owned property with a Catholic church on it,” he said “This church can’t be on Parks (Department) property “This community has come together,” Oddo continued This could be the senior center (again) and so much more We need the Catholic Church to partner with us Oddo said that he and other local officials were scheduled to meet soon with Parks Commissioner Veronica White and “we’re going to do everything that we can” to push for renovation and reopening of the Club one woman called out: “I miss my friends!” Michael Grimm also identified the problem as “a religious institution on city property,” and called the situation “very convoluted and jammed up.” “I think we may have a private benefactor to rebuild this place one woman shouted out: “The most important thing is nutrition The New Dorp Friendship Club opened in 1993 although the scheduled opening date was delayed for two months because of a Nor’easter “We’re working out of (the Great Kills Friendship Club),” she added noting that a trip to Ocean City is planned for Sept 9 and the New Dorp club will have a 20th anniversary party at the Staaten in West Brighton on Sept “But 50 percent of our seniors have not come out” to the Great Kills club .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jan Somma-Hammel | jsomma@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND New Dorp was the place we went to see the doctor and go shopping at Urback's for material We waited for the train to go by at street level with the "Ding The Lane Theater is where teenagers went on dates and -- and Penny Feathers restaurant is where they went for a bite to eat And that tree-lined street I remember from the back seat of our car Many Vanderbilts are now buried here in the Moravian Cemetery up the hill the sweet line of seaside homes in Cedar Grove beach are gone forever the City of New York took charge of the property The clubhouse was replaced by a modern structure that will serve as beach comfort stations and maintenance/operation facilities New Dorp is considered one of the safest neighborhoods on Staten Island New Dorp was one of the most prominent towns in the borough It was "the" place to shop and eat In the 1960s, businesses spread left and right along Hylan Boulevard to include supermarkets and department stores, with the largest center being the Hylan Plaza, which opened in 1966 The Lane itself still holds up as a flourishing commercial center A huge, $150 million retail renovation is currently under construction -- with a complete overhaul of the property, to be called "The Boulevard." \n m_gallery = \"new_dorp_lane_from_the_top_to\";\n m_gallery_id = \"fb2dcd8b5a\";\n m_gallery_title = \"New Dorp Lane from the top to the beach\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Friday 11:40 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"https://www.silive.com/expo/ERRY-2018/01/fb2dcd8b5a/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://expo.advance.net/static/fb2dcd8b5a/data.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n<\/script>\n Gallery: New Dorp Lane from the top to the beach By: 4:00 pm on May 2 Dimola Construction Corporation has filed applications for twin two-story located on Staten Island’s south shore Each of the homes will measure 3,891 square feet the full-floor apartments should average 1,293 square feet apiece That means the they will likely have family-sized configurations Each of the structures will also have a 264 square-foot Morace’s Staten Island-based architecture firm is the architect of record The 75-foot-wide lot is currently occupied by a two-story home Subscribe to the YIMBY newsletter for weekly updates on New York’s top projects Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews Mill Road was under water during Hurricane Sandy. Bad location, even worse in a few years when he shopping center expands to open up the Mill Road side. http://www.kimcorealty.com/TheBoulevard Not a drop of water got any where near 80 Mill Road during Hurricane Sandy Mill Road from Tysen to New Dorp Lane was absolutely untouched by Hurricane Sandy ga('send', 'event', 'beautyofblock', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Standard_336x280-100-2.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ADVERTISEMENT ga('send', 'event', 'PCRichards Builders Division', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PCR_Beko_Compact_YIMB_336x280.jpg', { nonInteraction: true }); ga('send', 'event', 'yimby+', 'Impression', 'https://newyorkyimby.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/image.png', { nonInteraction: true }); Follow on Instagram var sb_instagram_js_options = {"font_method":"svg","placeholder":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/instagram-feed\/img\/placeholder.png","resized_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sb-instagram-feed-images\/","ajax_url":"https:\/\/newyorkyimby.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php"}; © COPYRIGHT New York YIMBY® LLC YIMBY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF NIKOLAI FEDAK / NEW YORK YIMBY LLC .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Virginia N. Sherry | sherry@siadvance.comElla Konty (right) of Richmond was visiting Cedar Grove Beach in New Dorp Beach with her cousin-in-law Zoya Stein of Brooklyn -- New Dorp Beach -- one of Staten Island's hardest-hit East Shore neighborhoods when Hurricane Sandy roared ashore with her destructive power almost three years ago -- continues to climb back from the super storm disaster have rebuilt and -- in some cases -- elevated their destroyed homes have invested with new residential construction Today the neighborhood presents a wide-ranging mix of architectural styles from tiny old clapboard bungalows to large modern multi-story homes One of the charms of New Dorp Beach for over 100 years was the neighborhood's waterfront Cedar Grove Beach Club. (Click here for Advance columnist Thomas Matteo's story about the historic bungalow colony.) now-public Cedar Grove Beach was well attended a resident of Richmond for the past nine years accompanied by her cousin-in-law Zoya Stein "This is the first time I've been to this beach and I love it," Konty enthused after taking a swim "It's clean -- nothing washes up But you do have to bring your own umbrella." Click here for 13 quick historic facts about New Dorp Beach that you may not know including information about the old stone and clapboard farmhouse -- built in the 1600s on property near what is now New Dorp Lane and Cedar Grove Avenue -- and since moved to Historic Richmond Town where it enjoys official NYC landmark status \n m_gallery = \"sights_and_scenes_in_new_dorp_\";\n m_gallery_id = \"18399278\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Sights and scenes in New Dorp Beach\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Saturday 11:58 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/sights_and_scenes_in_new_dorp_/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/18399278.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Sights and scenes in New Dorp Beach later this month and join the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Staten Island Advance Sports DeskBy JOE KOZLOWSKIEven in a hot New York summer ice hockey is uppermost in Kevin Labanc's mind the 17-year-old New Dorp Beach resident will head to Barrie Ontario and join the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League The OHL is one of the three junior leagues which form the Canadian Hockey League The CHL has 60 teams consisting of players ages 15-20 and stretches across Canada and four northern states It is one of the top pro development leagues -- in the 2013 NHL Draft six of the top 10 picks played Canadian Junior hockey Labanc's first hockey experience was on roller skates at age 5 but not long after he started a steep climb on the developmental hockey ladder beginning with the Staten Island Skating Pavilion and followed by stints with the New Jersey Colonials and the New Jersey Rockets Labanc has been a member of the United States National Team Development Program based in Ann Arbor While working his way up the United States junior ranks took a great deal of effort that's nothing out of the ordinary for Labanc "He works really hard off the ice," said NJ Rockets coach and GM Bob Thornton "When the USNTDP's season has ended the past couple of years he's been back here (at the Rockets' practice facility) five or six days a week training." "When we're trying to get players in here skating and compete level are important areas," said Jason Ford "Hockey sense is important too and Kevin has a little bit of everything He's very coachable and I think he's just a really good kid." The blue-collar mentality defines Labanc's style of play which he compares to that of the New York Rangers' captain Ryan Callahan "He's a hard worker who goes after pucks in the corner and isn't afraid to battle," said Labanc of Callahan "I just want to help the team win games." The USA U-17 and U-18 teams play some rugged competition including Division I college squads and teams from the USHL who scored a highlight-reel goal in a penalty shootout that received national media attention he had the thrill of wearing the USA sweater "It was just a great honor to not only represent your country but also my family and friends," he said "Just wearing that logo is something special The experience also helped him to develop as a player "He put in a lot of time with the national team Labanc gave a verbal commitment to accept a scholarship from Notre Dame starting in the fall of 2014 Electing to pass up the 2013-14 season in the USHL which acquired his rights in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection "We first saw him about three years ago; I went down to see him in a festival in Massachusetts," said Ford "I would say the thing that stood out the most was how quick he gets on pucks and in on the forecheck He was just a hustler and a competitor." Although that decision means he is ineligible to play American college hockey Labanc ultimately chose Canadian major junior to get the best exposure possible "He has another year of high school left it would be harder to get exposure," said Thornton "He'll playing for Dale Hawerchuk who's a Hall of Fame player and a very good coach Kevin's going to a situation where he'll be set up to succeed While Labanc has already been rated by some pro scouts the OHL is his chance to show what he can do on a bigger stage "The timing's really good for him to come here now "We're really happy to get him." Even with a major OHL program expecting him to play top minutes and pro scouts watching every shift Labanc's approach to the game he loves won't change "I just want to help the team win games and we'll see how it goes down the road." Buyers in New Dorp will be required to rebuild On May 10th, the state will auction off 55 of these storm-damaged properties from around the island to bidders who will be required to rebuild and elevate them above flood levels. In New Dorp Beach, a neighborhood where Hurricane Sandy crushed houses, floated cars, and uprooted trees, 16 properties are included in the auction Most are simple one-bedroom bungalows stripped down to hollow shells during an open house for potential bidders visitors moved briskly from one home to the next You don’t keep this." "How big is this one too small for me." "This is one of the nicer ones and the storm still looms large in residents’ memories "The water was eight feet high in the street It came five feet up in my house," said one local whose home is next door to an empty auction property We never thought something like that could happen." With the upcoming auction and ongoing home elevations happening throughout the neighborhood residents hope their community will soon be returned to life "There is no reason why these communities, where people want to remain, can’t be rebuilt with better quality, more resilient housing stock," said Barbara Brancaccio, spokeswoman for the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery "These communities have multiple generations and the people who are living there don’t want to leave nor should they have to." All 55 properties on Staten Island were purchased by the state government at their pre-storm value money that the government considers to be well invested it’s possible that a homeowner would have abandoned their house or sold it to someone who didn’t have the know how to build it back," said Rachel Wieder "We are guaranteeing that the homes don’t go abandoned and we are replenishing the housing stock on Staten Island." before the city decided to reclaim and demolish them The remaining bungalows of New Dorp Beach are now separated from the water by a strip of green parkland and Bulldozers are now clearing away the community and wetlands are sprouting where houses once stood While it is hard to predict how many decades the remaining bungalows of New Dorp Beach have it is clear that the neighborhood will soon look completely different "What we are doing is building the community up so that people can continue to live there," said Brancaccio In 2011 the last community of beach bungalows in New York City existed on the waterfront near New Dorp Residents here were evicted from their homes after the 2010 summer season ended when the NYC Parks Department decided to reclaim their bungalows and fence them off The century old bungalow community had survived Robert Moses’s attempt to bulldoze it in the 1960s when he acquired the homes here by eminent domain Most were torn down shortly after these photos were taken In the aftermath of Sandy leaving Cedar Grove Beach an uninhabited area Hurricane Sandy caused widespread damage throughout New Dorp "The water was all the way above my head," recalled one resident Many homes were destroyed by the storm surge including this property at the corner of Maple Terrace and Cedar Grove Avenue seen in the days immediately after Hurricane Sandy like many lots throughout the neighborhood all of the houses were inundated by ocean water he left in the middle of the storm and the water was two feet high," recalled one resident along the street "By the time he made it to the end of the block this same Neutral Avenue property is vacant with no sign of the bungalow that once stood here "Some people wanted a buyout and others wanted to rebuild," said Rachel Wieder "It’s a neighborhood with a lot of different recovery efforts going on." a number of homes in New Dorp have been elevated as part of the Build It Back program although some residents have built elevators up to their front doors All of the auction properties that are being sold must be elevated two feet above the base flood level but the elevation will probably be between five to eight feet in these areas," said Rachel Wieder conditions vary from gutted and empty to renovated and filled with belongings This attic space was heaped with piles of clothing and bedding though the home appeared to have been uninhabited since Sandy "This is a complete teardown," said one visiting bidder "I’m not going to spend a long time in this one." toothbrushes and kitchen supplies had been left behind "These homeowners were hit by Sandy and they didn’t have the means or didn’t feel like they could build back," said Wieder Eyeglasses and a bowl of clocks and spoons but most need a lot of work," said one visiting bidder "I think what we are doing in New Dorp Beach is a step in the right direction," said Wieder "We are going to see a lot of families living there." Sixty-two properties in New York City are being auctioned off in total "I think all coastal communities are now investigating their options," said Barbara Brancaccio "What’s really important here is that there are multiple strategies at play." Nathan Kensinger is a photographer, filmmaker, and curator who has been documenting New York City's abandoned edges, endangered neighborhoods, and post-industrial waterfront for more than a decade. His Camera Obscura photo essays have appeared on Curbed since 2012 Outside Debbie Ingenito's Topping Street home stands a fir tree that had been knocked to the ground said the president was very sincere when he spoke with storm victims Ingenito said she told the president a bit about what she's been going through "It's just so stressful," Ms "Because nothing is getting done quick enough." Rasmussen said Obama's visit made people feel like somebody cared about what they were going through in New Dorp Beach - and Mrs "He made me feel really good," she said tried to describe to the president what his visit meant "You're leaving an aura through the neighborhood and that's what we need," Randall Randall spoke with the president outside of his Cedar Grove Avenue home "I thanked him for coming because I really think all the infrastructure is there," Randall said "It's now putting it to good use." who barked a bit and jumped on the president's leg "I know you're fierce," the president told the dog and told the president a little bit about his experience "It was looked at as either courageous or stupid but either way we were going to stay," he said He wanted to guard his collection of tribal art He and his wife Amy donned life jackets and holed up in the attic as the home filled with water They had a rubber boat ready to go if they water rose any higher Now he's struggling to figure out how to rebuild His homeowner's insurance won't cover much of the damage But Randall said much of it wouldn't have happened if the wind hadn't blow his window out turning his house into a churning washer machine "Unfortunately FEMA only helps to a certain dollar amount and for some people it's just not enough," Randall said But so far he was happy with FEMA's work and the federal government's efforts The president's message back was simple "We're going to help," the president told Randall Randall said he made sure to tell Obama he voted - saying a cohesive federal government was key in the aftermath of the storm but we made the effort to get out and vote - for him," Randall said the night of the storm to tell him he'd lost part of his roof Randall called to say the front of the house had collapsed the home he and his wife Sheila shared for 42 years is a heap of wood and furniture and memories on a handsome piece of cardstock with the words "The President" printed on the bottom "Thanks for the letters - I'm going to help!" the president wrote "And I guess this is the most exciting thing that's happened." Traina said they've asked for help in the past with flooding - with a seawall project dating back to the 1970s Now even more are gone thanks to the storm "Now we just about have an ocean view," she said "And the whole beach has changed." The Traina's were grateful for the president's visit "I'm just glad he showed up," Mr Traina said she wasn't upset he didn't come sooner "He can't be everywhere at every time "If you have a problem you have to take it one step at a time." Now the Traina's are trying to determine what to do next "We hope the insurance companies step up to the plate a little bit," Traina said "We just hope that they see how these people are hurting Traina said most residents' hands are tied - they have to go with what the insurance companies tell them "When you got to bed at night you don't sleep because your stomach is in a knot," Traina said "That's what it's been like for this last two weeks." Traina pointed out her daughter's first communion dress "All the work I put into it over the years," her husband said \n m_gallery = \"reaction_to_president_obmas_staten_island_visit\";\n m_gallery_id = \"11871681\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Reaction to President Obama\\'s Staten Island visit\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Thursday 6:08 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/reaction_to_president_obmas_staten_island_visit/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/11871681.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Reaction to President Obama's Staten Island visit \n m_gallery = \"obama_tours_post_hurricane_sandy_staten_island\";\n m_gallery_id = \"11870163\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Obama tours post Hurricane Sandy Staten Island\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Thursday 1:14 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/obama_tours_post_hurricane_sandy_staten_island/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/11870163.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Obama tours post Hurricane Sandy Staten Island .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}S.I A shocking incident captured on dash cam video shows the driver of a Honda Accord stopping in the middle of the Staten Island Expressway before pulling a bat out of his trunk and damaging a tractor trailer in an alleged road rage last week near the Clove Road exit of the expressway began after the driver of the Accord stopped in front of the truck in the center lane of the roadway Read the full story here. son among 4 indicted as probe into alleged bogus charity widens his mother and two other women set up a phony nonprofit group which purported to provide various city-funded services to the kids and the community But instead of doling out the cash for HIV/AIDS education the four members of Second Chance Resources Group Inc.’s board of directors pocketed more than $376,000 of taxpayer money in a years-long scheme Read the story here NYPD: Raid in Eltingville basement nets drugs; man Two neighbors were arrested after a raid of the basement of a home in Eltingville found a stash of drugs and drug paraphernalia who live next door to each other on the 300 block of Cortelyou Avenue were in the basement when officers armed with a search warrant raided Desiderio’s home at about 5:20 a.m according to the criminal complaint and police Read the full story here. Report: DEA conducts raid in New Dorp Beach home; allegedly nets arsenal The Drug Enforcement Administration's Tactical Diversion Squad conducted a search of a New Dorp Beach home on Finley Avenue near Ebbitts Street at around 8 a.m., law enforcement sources told the New York Post. Read the full story here. Three people were charged on Thursday in connection with an attempt to evade cigarette and tobacco tax according to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance were charged with multiple felonies including possession of more than 30,000 untaxed cigarettes according to a press release from the Department Read the full story here. School safety agent accused of selling counterfeit JUUL products An off-duty NYPD school safety agent was arrested Tuesday morning for allegedly selling multiple counterfeit JUUL products An NYPD investigation revealed that Pappalardo sold the counterfeit vaping products between July 1 Read the full story here. was more than twice the legal limit while driving in Bulls Head with his young son in the car pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony drunk-driving charge on May 7 at Victory Boulevard and Richmond Avenue The intersection is one of the busiest in the borough Read more here. accused of statutory rape of underage girl A Mariners Harbor man has been indicted for rape for allegedly subjecting an underage girl to sexual intercourse was arraigned Wednesday in state Supreme Court on three counts each of third-degree rape and endangering a child’s welfare pleaded not guilty on Bustamante’s behalf to the charges Read the full story here. allegedly took photos under unsuspecting woman’s skirt in Manhattan An alert bystander helped cops nab an off-duty firefighter from Staten Island after he allegedly used his cellphone to take a photo under an unsuspecting woman’s skirt in Manhattan Thursday night as Firefighter Gary Pandolfino and his alleged victim rode a building’s escalator on Second Avenue near its intersection with E Read the full story here. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tactical Diversion Squad conducted a search of a New Dorp Beach home on Finley Avenue near Ebbitts Street at around 8 a.m., law enforcement sources told the New York Post. Read the full story here. .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Kyle Lawson | klawson@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND -- The Santobello family installed a surveillance camera outside their home in New Dorp Beach after two packages disappeared from their porch over the past two years Surveillance footage from a house in New Dorp Beach captured an unidentified person allegedly stealing a Christmas gift from the front porch (Staten Island Advance/Courtesy of Ronnie Santobello) Michele Santobello says she was at work Monday as she watched a stranger nab a Christmas present for her husband from their front porch She has an app on her phone that shows real-time surveillance which in this instance only added to their frustration she said I'm watching some SOB on the camera stealing our package," said Ronnie Santobello Surveillance footage shows a man exit a black SUV wait for a few cars to pass and cautiously approach the porch He apparently missed a sticker on the door that reads An investigation of the alleged theft was ongoing A Facebook post about the incident garnered more than 100 comments including one from a New Dorp resident who shared a similar experience who lives about three blocks from the Santobello's on Mill Road said a package disappeared from her porch Nov after both the post office and shipper said it had been delivered between 1 and 3 p.m "I was shocked," said Marco, whose lived on the street for 53 years. "Years ago when you got a package, they would ring the doorbell." the companies who shipped the items agreed to re-send But Ronnie said he's more concerned the individual approached his house within 10 minutes of UPS delivering the package (UPS) would put a tag on the door," he said "This (delivery) guy dropped it off without ringing the bell or getting a signature." Anyone with information about the individual in the surveillance footage is asked to visit the NYPD's Crime Stoppers website call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS) or for Spanish 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA) or text their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) One of the oldest buildings in New Dorp Beach -- a fieldstone and wood-frame farmhouse built near the intersection of present-day New Dorp Lane and Cedar Grove Avenue -- survived the centuries and is now located on the grounds of Historic Richmond Town It was moved there in 1965; the cottage was designated an official New York City landmark in 1976 Additional information about the Britton Cottage is available on the website of Historic Richmond Town. The Britton Cottage: It was built on New Dorp Lane with its earliest section dating back to the late 1600s In 1886 William Ross "began to develop New Dorp as a commuter suburb due to the nearby station of the Staten Island Railroad," the city Landmarks Preservation Commission has noted The subdivision plan was called Crown Park When New Dorp's railroad station was at grade New Dorp Moravian Church was etablished in 1763 The church provides this history on its website: Moravian settlers in New York and Pennsylvania commissioned a new sailing ship to be built by John Van Deventer at his shipyard at Van Deventer Point located near today's Verazzano Bridge The "Irene" made 14 round trips to Europe bringing mostly Moravian missionaries and church members to New York was the first captain of the Irene; Cornelius Jacobsen served as captain on its last voyage in 1758." One of the oldest Protestant denominations Known then as the "Unity of the Brethen" early Moravians came from the area of what is now the Czech Republic known as Moravia Looking west on sleepy-looking Richmond Road in New Dorp New Dorp was the location of inns and beachfront hotels Dominic Coppotelli's Tavern on the Green was a go-to place in New Dorp's heyday It was located on the east side of Hylan Boulevard Tavern on the Green: A go-to place on Hylan Boulevard for fine dining and family celebrations The Morse Electric Club held its summer outing at Munger's-on-the-Beach on July 15 Munger's-on-the-Beach at New Dorp Beach Some history about this lighthouse from the U.S New Dorp Light was built on Altamont Avenue in the 1850s and was designed an official New York City landmark in 1967 It was first lit in 1856 and deactivated in 1964 "This was the Swash Channel Rear Range Light; the front range light was the Elm Tree Beacon" on Miller Field The former New Dorp public library -- at 155 Third Street -- was designed by the famed architectural firm of McKim Mead and White and built in the early 190Os it's survived and is now a restored showplace The former New Dorp public library on Third Street Some Staten Islanders of a certain age may remember this classic grandfather's clock in the old New Dorp library on Third Street This architectural masterpiece at 155 Third Street in New Dorp -- designed by the famed firm of McKim Mead and White -- is now home to Rampulla Associates Architects It was formerly the public library in New Dorp Virginia N. Sherry | sherry@siadvance.com The nearest hospital now for New Dorp residents is on Seaview Avenue in Ocean Breeze Church on New Dorp Lane dates back almost 100 years .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Alexandra Salmieri | asalmieri@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND As New Dorp resident Laurie Sundbye took her daily walk on New Dorp Beach Washed up on the shore was a dead sand shark about 4 feet long "I saw a fin coming out of the waves .. when the water pulled back toward the ocean the shark remained on shore," she said Staten Island is no stranger to large marine life a fisherman shot video of a "massive whale breaching the water." \n m_gallery = \"large_sand_shark_sighting_on_n\";\n m_gallery_id = \"f4ef30a7004773\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Large sand shark sighting on New Dorp Beach\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Tuesday 10:58 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"https://www.silive.com/expo/news/erry-2018/07/f4ef30a7004773/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://expo.advance.net/static/f4ef30a7004773/data.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n<\/script>\n Gallery: Large sand shark sighting on New Dorp Beach New York City’s latest efforts to fight climate change underscore the reality that the city is facing a very tenuous future and expects it to be finished in approximately four years Officially known as the South Shore of Staten Island Coastal Storm Risk Management Project the USACE’s barrier is staggering in scope It will include a 4.3-mile seawall with a public promenade built on top and more than 180 acres of newly excavated stormwater detention ponds The project encompasses an area with over 30,000 residents and 7,300 structures and will protect some of the coastal neighborhoods that suffered the worst damage during Hurricane Sandy “The project is designed to reduce risk of flooding and damage from severe storms such as nor’easters and other weather events that involve tidal surges the project is designed to function under a storm producing water levels of a 300-year flood event (a storm with a 0.3 percent chance of occurring in any given year),” Frank Verga “It provides a complete solution incorporating project features to address flooding not only due to coastal storm surge some of these same neighborhoods could be flooded again which expects between 1.5 feet and 6.25 feet of sea level rise to occur in the next 81 years As news comes in that the USACE’s $14 billion barrier system around the city of New Orleans is now sinking and may soon be inadequate despite being completed just 11 months ago the USACE openly acknowledges that their planned barrier in Staten Island may also need to be raised up higher in the future “Since the project is comprised of primarily hard structures they are designed to last indefinitely as long as properly maintained the project can be modified for potential sea-level rise,” according to Verga The Staten Island seawall is just the first of several enormous projects that are nearing the construction phase along New York City’s waterfront. The USACE is also working towards selecting its final plan for the NY & NJ Harbor & Tributaries Focus Area Feasibility Study where it will be deciding between five different proposals for a system of storm surge barriers and levees to be built around the entire New York waterfront These proposals range in cost from $15 billion to $118 billion in order to raise the park’s elevation eight to ten feet higher because we have no choice,” the piece reads “This country has wasted too many years pretending it had the luxury of debating climate change It is both encouraging and terrifying to see these proposals moving forward state and federal governments are all finally beginning to take concrete actions to address the existential threat of climate change and the long-term changes they will inflict to our coastline all of these projects may prove to be merely short-term solutions underscoring the reality that New York City is facing a very tenuous future some part of our coastline will survive the rising waters The proposed site for the USACE’s new Staten Island seawall begins just south of Fort Wadsworth and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in an area that is currently protected by a low sandy berm The entire boardwalk will be dismantled and replaced with a 2.5-mile-long section of buried seawall and armored levee which will rise approximately 20 feet above sea level and which will have a new 38 foot wide boardwalk constructed on top This section of seawall will stretch down to Midland Beach The Roosevelt Boardwalk is the last wholly intact wooden boardwalk left in New York City. Most of the Rockaway Boardwalk and large sections of Coney Island Boardwalk were replaced with concrete and other materials after Hurricane Sandy The boardwalk currently looks out over a sand dune barrier and onto the Atlantic Ocean before rushing across Father Capodanno Boulevard and down into the nearby neighborhoods Parallel to the boardwalk, a long row of houses has been built along Father Capodanno Boulevard, an elevated street that runs alongside 2.5 miles of shoreline. Many of the homes beyond the boulevard are situated in a low-lying area, which was filled with floodwaters like a bowl during Hurricane Sandy Numerous homes in South Beach have been built directly into wetlands ironically named Crestwater Court Community sits between three bodies of water in the South Beach Pond Preserve and the South Beach Bluebelt and is located about 1,000 feet away from the ocean The USACE proposal includes excavating an even larger 19-acre pond around this complex homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy remain empty This property located on a street named Sunnymeade Village was flooded by approximately eight feet of seawater The floodline is visible in the photograph on the left a not-for-profit associated with the city’s Build It Back program Roosevelt Boardwalk ends near an elevated bluff across from the neighborhood of Ocean Breeze a 1.1-mile stretch of coastline is currently protected by a low sandy barrier which runs next to a wide pedestrian promenade This promenade and barrier would also be replaced by the USACE’s 2.5-mile section of seawall topped with a boardwalk the neighborhood of Ocean Breeze has now been almost completely demolished as part of a “managed retreat” from the coastline Located immediately adjacent to Father Capodanno Boulevard Ocean Breeze was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy The buyout program is also nearing completion in Graham Beach Entire city blocks are now almost completely empty here In Midland Beach, the low-lying streets were also badly flooded when the ocean surged down from Father Capodanno Boulevard. “The neighborhood turned into a lake that was more than nine feet deep in some places,” according to the New York Times and the floodwaters drowned eight residents Further inland, the New Creek Bluebelt is now nearly complete This recently upgraded stormwater management system features several new holding ponds which flow through Midland Beach and Graham Beach The USACE project proposes excavating seven ponds across 100 acres within this newly rebuilt waterway The current coastal defenses along the boardwalk and promenade end abruptly just to the north of Miller Field where a low sand dune is all that keeps the ocean out of Midland Beach The 2.5-mile section of the USACE seawall topped with a boardwalk would also end here The final hurdle for the USACE project was cleared in March, when the Natural Resources Management Act was signed into law This lengthy document included a key piece of legislation by freshman Congressman Max Rose (who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn) which gave the USACE access to build in Miller Field an area protected by the National Park Service The USACE project would demolish this WWII-era lookout tower as part of erecting a 1.75-mile-long stretch of buried sea wall here that will be topped with a 17-foot-wide promenade This promenade would extend south to Oakwood Beach The seawall would protect the historic hangars of Miller Field which is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area and would also extend protection to the distant homes of New Dorp a temporary barrier erected after Hurricane Sandy is eroding into the ocean The TrapBags here have burst open in the face of high tides the storm surge pushed through this narrow strip of parkland and into the low bungalows of New Dorp Beach Many homes here were destroyed by the storm, like this property at Cedar Grove Avenue and Maple Terrace, photographed in November 2012. In 2016, the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery helped facilitate an auction of storm-damaged homes they had purchased throughout the neighborhood with the stipulation that they be rebuilt and elevated above flood levels This same property now contains a house that towers over its abandoned neighbor the coastal protections currently includes this long elevated row of TrapBags along the waterfront of Oakwood Beach The USACE project would replace this coastal defence with the section of seawall topped by a 17-foot-wide promenade as well as 46 acres of tidal wetlands on the coast including 10 acres of maritime forest and 19 acres of marshland the USACE plans to excavate a 46-acre stormwater detention pond tearing out an Oakwood Beach marshland populated by hawks and deer which it describes as mainly a “Phragmites monoculture low quality wetland habitat.” the phragmites have taken over from the wetlands mix that was planted as part of the state’s managed retreat Hurricane Sandy destroyed 13 homes on this street and the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery demolished the rest as part of its buyout program Just two homes remain standing on Kissam Avenue The new seawall will be completed too late for the residents of this street who have all been relocated to different communities The land acquired by the state in Oakwood Beach will remain uninhabited the USACE plans to build a two earthen levees and a concrete flood wall to help protect the Oakwood Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant The plant is one of the few structures remaining in the neighborhood How long the new USACE levees here will last is uncertain The current landscape at the end of Oakwood Beach includes an array of older wooden which are all slowly eroding as the ocean inexorably chips away at the coast Nathan Kensinger is a photographer, filmmaker, and curator who has been documenting New York City’s abandoned edges, endangered neighborhoods, and post-industrial waterfront for more than a decade. His Camera Obscura photo essays have appeared on Curbed since 2012 His photographs have been exhibited by the Museum of the City of New York and inside the Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center subway station "I've never seen anything like this," said Jodi Hannula "Next week he's got to go for surgery," she explained Homes in the neighborhood were ripped off their foundations and tossed about Other blocks remained flooded Tuesday afternoon several people were rescued from New Dorp Beach rooftops by emergency personnel Michael Grimm was touring New Dorp Beach Tuesday both to get information to relay to FEMA and to assure residents that his staff and other officers would be there to assist them "They want to know that they're going to be helped," Grimm said called the damage in New Dorp Beach "devastating." .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Maura Grunlund | mauragrunlund@siadvance.comFamily PhotoJoseph Rodriguez after Joseph saved him from choking.STATEN ISLAND returned home from school on April 26 and found the older man unconscious on the kitchen floor He had choked on a piece of meat while alone in the house Joseph shook his grandfather and turned him over on his back the meat came out and DaGrossa resumed breathing Family promptly took him to the doctor and he is receiving followup treatment who is in the forensics science criminology program at New Dorp is following the lead of other family members who are in helping professions Joseph’s mother is a certified counselor and Mrs DaGrossa transports disabled children in her 21-year job as a bus driver for the city Department of Education called the Advance to report the good news about Joseph Devon Griffo and dad Dominick "Griff" Griffo at Griff's Place in New Dorp Beach .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Pamela Silvestri | silvestri@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- “The Dish” serves up fresh food news in the borough over chats with chefs and restaurateurs each Wednesday at 9 a.m on Facebook Live It looks at trends in the business and issues affecting the various establishments in the borough He just reopened a week ago after an almost six month closure several tables and a lottery machine plus Quick Pick pool table and video games are off-limits for now But the bartenders are still serving up shots cold beer and cocktails with juicy burgers Griff remembers long-time regulars but he saves his best story for last The pub is open daily, 365 days a year, and located at 702 New Dorp Lane; 718-668-2645 Next week “The Dish” goes back to Griff’s for more bar stories and a chat with other Staten Island bar owners Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com The shareable Griff's platter with wings The yard at Griff's Place in New Dorp Beach (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri) Bacon cheeseburger (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri) Barbara and Patty bartend as a team on Tuesdays and Wednesdays What brunch will look like on Saturdays and Sundays at Griff's Place in New Dorp Beach (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri) Mike Sheehy was a bartender at Griff's He is memorialized on the tavern's wall Ribeye steak with frizzled onions at Griff's (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri) Chicken wrap with onion rings (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri) Edward Hazel sat here at Griff's as a regular regulars at Griff's (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri) Secretary of Education Arne Duncan came to Staten Island Thursday to learn about the experiences of students and teachers impacted by Hurricane Sandy and participate in a Toys for Tots distribution for families in hard-hit areas Accompanied by City Schools Chancellor Dennis M president of the United Federation of Teachers Duncan visited New Dorp High School and stopped in at PS 38 in Midland Beach He came away praising the leadership of principals and faculty members and inspired by the "resiliency" of students "I can't tell you how much you all inspire me," Duncan told students and teachers at New Dorp after listening to first-hand accounts of the hurricane's damage from students and faculty who lost their homes and belongings to Sandy More than 365 students and some three-dozen faculty members at New Dorp suffered losses from Sandy New Dorp sophomore Francesca Santangelo broke down as she told of the night the storm surge swallowed her home on Weed Avenue in New Dorp Beach "We saw our house go under," she said She said returning to school was what helped her cope with her loss "It's great to be back in school seeing my friends and getting all the love and support from my teachers has been a big help to me," she said Math teacher Huda Sami told of how she had to evacuate her home on Capodanno Boulevard with her husband and 8-year-old son "The only support I've been getting has been from my school and community," she said As she struggles to cope with her own losses she said she struggles to maintain a sense of "normalcy" for her students "but I don't think it's normal I have to deal with my students who are coming to me I have to teach and give grades and prepare them for their exams when sometimes I can't think straight myself." who made similar visits to schools in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina had praise for Principal Deidre D'Angelis and her staff "A school is more than just reading and writing Walcott also had praise for New Dorp staff and teachers D'Angelis for opening her school to students and staff from Egbert Intermediate School in Midland Beach who were initially displaced by the storm damage said he reached out to Duncan to invite him to visit Island schools "I told him you have to come and look at these schools and visit our neighborhoods Their stories are just amazing," he said Duncan's entourage drove through streets of hurricane-damaged homes in Midland Beach to visit with Principal Everlidys Robles and join Walcott and Mulgrew in volunteering at the New York City Police Department's Toys for Tots distribution for students and parents "What happened here will change these kids forever," said Duncan who played defensive tackle and offensive guard for the Centrals between the 1982-83 seasons holds the schools record for career sacks with 16 1/2 .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Charlie De Biase Jr. | debiase@siadvance.comJoe Avena hears the name Tom Hogan and he can’t help but picture him as part of New Dorp’s starting defensive line back in 1983 "That team had a number of outstanding players and (Hogan) was certainly one of them,'' said Avena a former star player for the Central Cougars who was the head coach at his alma mater for 13 seasons (1980-92) "Tommy Hogan epitomized what that team was all about and thanks to his attitude and playing ability he was instrumental in the success we experienced.'' New Dorp’s career sacks leader (16 1/2) and a football Hall of Famer died last Friday after a bout with coronavirus who was showered with love and praise on Facebook following his passing Bob Burke, Staten Island native and college basketball legend in N.C., has died Former Staten Islander also coached in the NBA for a short time The New Dorp Beach resident is survived by his wife a two-year varsity gridder who graduated in 1984 played on a dominant defensive line that included fellow defensive tackle Troy Henry and ends Vin Ottomanelli and Jessie Correale who was tabbed Staten Island's defensive MVP following the 1983 Fugazzi Bowl was also named an Advance All Star following his senior year with the Centrals The former coach said the linemen were extremely close and the approximate 6-foot 220-pound Hogan was right in the middle of the productively a good attitude and good athletic ability -- he was probably the fastest of the four of them,'' praised Avena noting Hogan also played guard on the other side of the ball "We didn’t lose against an Island team that year (ND was 6-3-1 overall including 5-0-1 against Island teams) and there were some good ones that we beat handily I always felt that team had the ability to win the city championship "And (Hogan) played a big part of it.'' A look back: These 9 track & field stars didn't let the Y2K bug alter their performances These student-athletes dominated 20 years ago According to long-time New Dorp statistician Charlie Perrino quarterbacks hurries and fumble recoveries during the 1983 campaign en route to being one of seven New Dorp players named Advance All Stars Perrino said Hogan not only teamed with Henry to register a combined five sacks during ND’s impressive season-opening 25-2 victory over Monsignor Farrell but also had a defensive touchdown when he fell on a fumble in the end zone In addition to being named an Advance All Star an All-City selection and was named defensive MVP in the Fugazzi Bowl despite a good portion of impact players playing at least three years on varsity Hogan has held ND’s career sack record for 37 years "That’s how good Tommy was,'' added Avena who has been an assistant coach at Westfield HS in New Jersey the last 27 years "The fact he was named (defensive) MVP on a Staten Island team that was full of All Stars says a lot.'' S.I. coronavirus diary: This Wagner College senior softball player has made a decision on her future The lone Islander on the Seahawks' roster mulled over the NCAA's decision to extend eligibility in the wake of the pandemic Hogan was voted into New Dorp’s Football Hall of Fame in 2000 SILive.com ran a series asking its readers who they believed was each Island team’s ‘Mount Rushmore’ of high school football players When the readers voted on New Dorp’s ‘Mount Rushmore,’ Hogan was the first one in after garnering 636 votes "It’s guys like Tommy that makes coaching worthwhile,'' concluded Avena was a wide receiver on the Centrals’ 1985 PSAL city championship team "(Tommy) was an outstanding football player and an even better guy that will be missed.'' The year was 2000 and where high school girls' track and field was concerned on Staten Island there might not have been a more well-rounded group of Advance All Stars that season the Advance said when it announced the nine honorees that on June 10 of that spring There was not only a mixture of track stars and field stars but seniors and underclassman talent as well They would have thrown the kitchen sink if it was an event SILive.com will once again take a walk down memory lane as we look back at the nine stars that time and again made headline 20 years ago Please scroll down to see who made the grade that season Seniors and supporters of the New Dorp Beach Friendship Club rally in front of Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Cedar Grove Avenue as Congressman Michael Grimm and City Councilman James Oddo fight to help keep the doors open .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Virginia N. Sherry | sherry@siadvance.comSTATEN ISLAND -- Carrying small American flags and handwritten signs vocal group of almost 150 seniors turned out in force this morning outside Our Lady of Lourdes R.C Chapel on Cedar Grove Avenue in New Dorp Beach to demand the reopening of their beloved New Dorp Friendship Club shuttered since Hurricane Sandy wrecked the space on the church's ground floor "I'm so happy we have a very nice crowd today," said Shirley Newman of New Dorp and we do more than dance," said New Dorp Beach resident Jenny Casalino "It gives us a reason to get up in the morning and go out." "This place is keeping me alive," said Joe LaGuardia The people are wonderful," he said as the crowd cheered The center -- opened in 1993 -- offered seniors two nutritious meals a day The New Dorp Beach Friendship Club is now operating out of the Great Kills Friendship Club and some members are going to the Arrochar Friendship Club Both of these clubs are presently crowded although for seniors from New Dorp Beach who did not drive it is difficult to travel to these two clubs on a daily basis Michael Grimm and City Councilman James Oddo attended the rally and pledged support for reopening the Friendship Club inside the Church building "I know how much this building and your friends mean to you," said Oddo "We need private funding," said Grimm "I think we may have a private benefactor to rebuild this place The rally was organized by the Staten Island-based nonprofits Where to Turn and Beacon of Hope New York Some of her creations are in museums in Germany The destination was New York "because it's the best city in the world," Ms Rebus brings her work to craft and art fairs on Staten Island and enjoys watching the reactions of first-time viewers Her other artistic outlets include painting and watercolors The Parks Department plans to rebuild John D'Amato Field somewhere -- but replacing it where it once stood is "highly unlikely," spokeswoman Tara Kiernan said and is now just a goalpost and a fenced-off rectangle of gravel Kiernan said once the city receives reimbursements from FEMA the agency will have a better sense of what alternative locations can be considered and promised to work with the D'Amato family community and elected officials in doing so She offered some details about what landscaping Parks was hoping to do at the site of the old field Malliotakis and Matteo floated the idea of bringing in extra sand to raise the height of the beach or even installing a secondary berm within the park Many residents have cited the field -- built in 2011 -- as one reason the neighborhood was so hard hit blaming the removal of old trees and other plants to create a flat park from which visitors could see the ocean \n m_gallery = \"_staten_island_john_damato_field_to_a_new_appropriate_location_\";\n m_gallery_id = \"13070337\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Staten Island John D\\'Amato Field to move to a new appropriate location \";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Thursday 4:03 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/_staten_island_john_damato_field_to_a_new_appropriate_location_/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/13070337.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Staten Island John D'Amato Field to move to a new appropriate location SILive has posted roundups of vintage Staten Island photos found in the archives of the Advance and the New York Public Library Starting today and continuing every day this week SILive will post new vintage photos of some of our favorite subjects -- from public transportation But before Vintage Week kicks off, check out these photos -- the best of our vintage collections so far. And for more oldtime pictures of Staten Island, make sure to visit SILive.com/timecapsule families have enjoyed fun-filled days at fairs festivals and amusement parks in every corner of the borough residents have turned out in droves to attend them all Visitors to South Beach from the early 1900s to the 1940s enjoyed the rides and attractions at Happy Land Amusement Park Click here for more vintage photos of amusement parks and fairs. amusement parks and dance pavilions attracted a steady crowd to South trains and trolleys transported as many as 100,000 sunbathers to the Arrochar-South Beach-Midland Beach area by the late 1800s Click here for more vintage photos of life at the beach. Did you know that Borough Hall was designed by Carrere & Hastings and was completed in 1906 following the consolidation of New York City in 1898 Staten Islander John Carrere played an influential role in selecting the site as well as planning and developing the civic center Click here for more vintage photos of Borough Hall. Four bridges connect Staten Island to the mainland The borough has three direct links to New Jersey -- the Bayonne and Goethals bridges The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connects the Island and Brooklyn Click here for more vintage photos of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Click here for vintage photos of the Goethals Bridge. Staten Island's shores were appealing destination spots for vacationers cozy bungalows lined the shores of New Dorp Beach Click here for more vintage photos of bungalows. Staten Island is home to 14 active cemeteries and 19 abandoned cemeteries Among some of the famous people buried here are Dorothy Day Click here for more vintage photos of Staten Island cemeteries. They have been the lifeblood of Staten Island society for generations -- clubs and organizations for people of every age there is a group for virtually every activity or purpose on the Island Click here for more vintage photos of clubs and organizations. Did you know that the Richmond County Medical Society established the first "infirmary" on Staten Island Staten Island is home to Richmond University Medical Center and Staten Island University Hospital Click here for more vintage photos of Staten Island hospitals. The Tottenville branch of the New York Public Library is the oldest in the borough The New Dorp branch opened three years later and is the busiest library in the borough George Library Center is the largest library on Staten Island Click here for more vintage photos of libraries. Movies are an important part of American culture But things were very different in the early part of the 20th century The movie industry was just getting started films were very short and they were silent there were 10 theaters advertising in the Advance: The Capitol Click here for more vintage photos of movie theaters. George branch was originally the main post office on Staten Island the increase in traffic made parking virtually impossible at this location so a new main post office was built on Manor Road Click here for more vintage photos of post offices. The Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden has 28 buildings on 83 acres of land offering a variety of cultural experiences But before Snug Harbor became the experience it is today decrepit and worn out sailors," earning it the name Sailor's Snug Harbor Click here for more vintage photos of Sailor's Snug Harbor. Staten Islanders enjoyed a small-town lifestyle in every neighborhood in the borough It wasn't until after the opening of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the completion of the Staten Island Expressway that the Island's population began to boom forever altering a more bucolic way of life Click here for more vintage photos of street scenes. Did you know that famed photographer Alice Austen was the first woman on Staten Island to own a car? Meanwhile, the land speed record was broken on Staten Island in 1902 by the Baker Electric Torpedo In a race along what is now Hylan Boulevard the two-passenger vehicle unofficially set a new record but two spectators were killed when it went out of control Click here for more vintage photos of vehicles. .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Staten Island AdvanceView the Slideshow >> -- A 35-year-old woman was injured Saturday afternoon after she jumped into the path of a train in New Dorp George-bound train in New Dorp at about 2 p.m. according to law enforcement sources and a witness who saw the scene unfold from the platform An NYPD spokesman referred to the jump as a suicide attempt though a law enforcement source said Saturday night she may have suffered more serious injuries including a broken leg and numerous bruises on her body The incident came just three days after the death of 15-year-old Tottenville High School sophomore Felicia Garcia who jumped in front of a train at the Huguenot station Gary Hylton of Grasmere said he was sitting on a bench at the Rose Avenue end of the platform Saturday when he witnessed the woman jump forward just as the train was pulling in she just jumped right off the platform," he said "I was screaming and yelling to get her out Hylton immediately called 911 as he rushed toward where he last saw the woman fire and ambulances flooded the scene in about two minutes I couldn't hear her," Hylton said Grasso was taken to Staten Island University Hospital Hospital spokeswoman Diane O'Donnell said last night she could provide information about the woman was breathing but had some blood on her hands and cuts on her face Others in the area initially thought that the woman may have been sitting on the ledge listening to music and not paying attention as the train came by and swept her underneath "I hope she gets better," he added Hylton said a teenage boy also sitting on the bench witnessed the scene and waved his arms frantically to get the train to stop an ambulance spirited the teen from the scene as he was emotionally distraught from what he'd witnessed Grasso's family were unsuccessful last night A woman who answered the phone at her New Dorp Beach address said she had just moved into an upstairs apartment there a few days ago several Staten Islanders took to social media sites like Twitter to express their horror that another person had jumped in front of a train so soon after Miss Garcia's death Wednesday "I'm just hearing another girl decided to jump in front of a train in New Dorp "What is this world coming to?!?!" wrote another Miss Garcia's death has sparked an investigation by the NYPD's Special Victims Unit Investigators are looking into whether football players bragged about having sex with Miss Garcia just days before she ended her life and multiple sources have told the Advance that the girl was taunted and bullied into believing that a video of her engaged in consensual sex acts would be circulated online Saturday's incident marks the second time this year someone was struck by a train at the New Dorp platform On Jan. 8, Steven Santiago, 38, suffered a blow to the head when a train struck him as he tried to help Jonathan Parisen, a filmmaker and former Stapleton resident who had leapt onto the tracks Law enforcement sources said Parisen had been drinking with a friend at the nearby Night Gallery bar prior to the incident and had jumped onto the tracks as a lark the filmmaker said that charge had since been reduced to a violation \n m_gallery = \"woman_struck_by_staten_island_railway_\";\n m_gallery_id = \"11767615\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Woman struck by Staten Island Railway \";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Saturday 4:46 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/woman_struck_by_staten_island_railway_/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/11767615.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Woman struck by Staten Island Railway Walking around the muddy streets of Cedar Grove Avenue in New Dorp Beach on Saturday afternoon Andrew Cuomo handed out storm-relief supplies and spoke with several Staten Islanders as they continued to clear out the mangled structures that were once their homes "We've been through a lot these past couple of weeks and we know that the damage is all around us," Gov Cuomo said shortly after arriving at Miller Field "We have seen the silver lining in this situation We have seen people come together in a way that we've never seen people come together before." an assembly line of elected officials that included Cuomo Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis and Assemblyman Matthew Titone star of the reality show American Chopper and co-founder of Orange County Choppers Following in the footsteps of President Barack Obama who visited Miller Field and displaced residents earlier this week Cuomo pledged to do whatever it takes to help the borough rebuild He recently asked the federal government for at least $30 billion in disaster aide for New York City and other areas that Hurricane Sandy left devastated But despite speaking with President Obama about it directly Cuomo acknowledged that his request could face Congressional hurdles "Anyone who says that we don't need a supplemental appropriation -- that we don't need help -- let them come to Staten Island," he said As Cuomo met with displaced Islanders on Cedar Grove Avenue he stopped outside the home of Janice Kennedy Hurricane Sandy ravaged her two-story house sending her deck through the back of her neighbor's home She asked Cuomo how the government could help her acquire funds to hire a demolition team "I wanted to show the governor the devastation to my house and figure out a way to pay for the demolition," she said "This isn't something you can clean up with shovels and brooms I need big equipment to take care of this." Kennedy also said that her insurance company told her that they could not survey the damage for at least two months She said Cuomo told her he would put her in touch with people in his office who could help Kennedy said she was able to clear her driveway of debris with the help of her son and several volunteers and most of her possessions strewn through the backyards of various neighbors she said the clean-up seemed insurmountable her family photo albums and the possessions of her late husband who died two years ago survived the storm "Before the storm I couldn't bring myself to part with his things but after everything I decided to donate all his clothes to charity," she said "Even though I'm going through this with my house Kelly Griswold stood unimpressed as the governors motorcade traveled pass the ruined home of her parents This retired Staten Island postal worker and his wife had lived in their two-story home on Cedar Grove Avenue for 46 years to the day Hurricane Sandy hit We didn't need the government to make a guest appearance," she said Griswold stood outside her childhood home and surveyed the destruction she began to cry when she looked at the wrecked stair case "I remember me and my little sister coming down those stairs on Christmas morning and seeing the Christmas tree with all the presents wooden cross with the inscription "God Bless Our Home," painted on the top She said she wanted to show it to Cardinal Timothy Dolan who also toured parts of the borough on Saturday Griswold found this family keepsake wedged between the floor and an exposed beam while she and several volunteers cleaned the house Griswold said her mother kept the cross on the mirror above the bathroom sink since the time they bought the house The cross would occasionally fall from the mirror into the soapy water below causing her mother to let out a line of frustrated obscenities every now and then 'you can't curse while you're picking up the cross,'" Mrs "I guess it fell into the water one last time and we picked it up again just like always." Wolfe's Pond Park in Prince's Bay and Cedar Grove Beach in New Dorp will remain closed until repairs are complete said Borough Parks Commissioner Adena Long at a city Parks Department press conference on Tuesday on the South Beach Boardwalk "At some point this summer these two beaches will be open We are working really hard to get them ready They are a work in progress," said Ms The Parks Department is still working on shore protection since Hurricane Sandy ravaged the borough's beach-front "After Hurricane Sandy struck in October 2012 like the East and South Shores of Staten Island," said NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J "Many Islanders are still recovering from the storm until this day This beach (South Beach) has become a symbol of the resilience We are proud to announce that Staten Island's beaches are again open for business," he said Over the past year the city parks Department has installed 26,000 linear feet of protective berms from South Beach to Conference House Park Volunteers also recently planted 130,000 new beach grass plants at Crescent Beach and Conference House Park "The beach grass will help stabilize and anchor the new berms," he added The Midland Beach Splaza -- a new attraction for kids -- is equipped with a large fountain and water sprays, and sits adjacent to the new Fantasy Shore Amusement Park on Father Capodanno Boulevard near Seaview Avenue in Ocean Breeze will be staffed with lifeguards from 10 a.m to 6 p.m reinforced berms that have been installed will help protect the beach from further storm damage The new "Splaza" and Fantasy Shore Amusement area will likely draw crowds to this beach this summer New sand berms and a popular spot for firework shows and concerts make this beach a favorite for walkers and beach-goers alike It is hoped that new beach grass and berms will shore up the area and protect this quiet enclave from future storms There's a new sand "reinforced" berm that extends from New Dorp Beach to Oakwood Beach All Hurricane Sandy related repairs are complete and a reinforced berm was installed at the street entrance to the park which is part of National Gateway Recreation Area will be open this weekend through Labor Day "Most of the recovery work from Hurricane Sandy is complete, with the exception of Nichols Marina. The marina will open this weekend and the work will resume in the fall," said Daphne Yun a spokeswoman for the National Parks Service The beach will remain closed until all plumbing work is complete on the new modulars. "The repair work is all Sandy-related and is being done by DDC (city Department of Design and Construction) on our behalf," said Ms Wolfe's Pond Park is currently undergoing repairs and Parks officials hope it will open in the coming weeks "We are having some delays at Wolfe's Pond They are all Sandy-related repairs that are electrical in nature DDC is running new conduits underground to connect to the modulars," said Ms Parks recently installed a new retaining wall at Wolfe's Pond "This will help curb erosion and continue to improve the protection of the beach," said Silver \n m_gallery = \"a_look_at_staten_island_beache\";\n m_gallery_id = \"14994732\";\n m_gallery_title = \"A look at Staten Island Beaches\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4499\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Tuesday 2:49 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.silive.com/4499/gallery/a_look_at_staten_island_beache/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.silive.com/photogallery/4499/14994732.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n — If you're a lifer on "The Rock" or came to Staten Island post-Verrazano Bridge construction you've probably got a lot of restaurant meals under your belt From Top of the Mast in Grasmere (eventually a Roy Rogers/Sbarro, then a Hooters, now Met Foods) which closed in 1995 to Tavern on the Green in New Dorp (now the Walter Edward Grady United States Post Office), Staten Island's eateries back in the day could be called downright charming. Faced with the task of choosing the 20 "most missed" places Feel free to share your restaurant memories in the comments section below Home to countless first dates and after-game pizza parties Pal Joey's was known for its wood-paneled dining room and colored glass detail It moved down Forest Avenue near Bement not long after a tragedy in the spot: Owner Mark LaManna was killed during a botched robbery one Friday night Keep them going in the comments section below The namesake of this former place in New Dorp Beach hails from Mauro Alais Italy who worked on cruise ships and made his way to America Mauro established his first restaurant on Broad Street in Stapleton He set up shop at Garibaldi Street and Rome Avenue where Alvino's Pizzeria once lived Mauro's new digs had an outdoor courtyard with a fountain On the menu: Yummy baked clams; prosciutto-cheese-mushroom-stuffed pork chops called "The Tennis Racquet" (because they looked like tennis racquets as they were so stuffed); Steak ala Mauro with filet mignon and mushrooms with wine sauce Mauro's is now DiSara Restaurant under a new family's ownership One patron of place wrote to the Advance to enthuse over the pizza seafood and charming atmosphere reminiscent of Mauro's She hopes Staten Islanders dine in this cute place and patronize it with more gusto as it seems quiet lately Pamela Silvestri | silvestri@siadvance.com It was the place to "see" and be seen But I cannot put it more perfectly than a former colleague and food critic who wrote this about the restaurant in a 1998 Advance article: The question: What is your most vivid Mother's Day memory "The strike,'' replied Marion Coppotelli without hesitation It may not have rivaled the great transit strike of 1966 or the sanitation strike a couple of years later but for some 1,200 Staten Islanders expecting to celebrate Mother's Day in the Tavern on the Green The New Dorp restaurant's staff of 40 waiters bartenders and kitchen help walked out on Mother's Day 1971 in a dispute over wages that it would reopen as a catering hall only all of whom thought of Dee as a good friend kept showing up and after a few months he relented and the Tavern was once again a restaurant which had operated the restaurant for 26 years The glory days were behind it; and glory days they were It was for a time the Island's best known gathering place the site of countless political dinners and lunches affairs for community and charitable organizations and all manner of social events sports and show business had occasion to drop in It's the place Bobby Thomson chose to have dinner Oct after having hit ``The Shot Heard Round the World'' earlier in the day Thomson dined with his Curtis High baseball coach Another close friend of the Coppotellis was George Bamberger who managed the Mets in 1981 and a portion of the 1982 season Bamberger dropped in from time to time during that period especially when the Mets played a day game during the week Coppotelli retains a vivid memory of a speech made at the Tavern by Robert F Kennedy during his successful campaign for senator from New York had decided to take the sting out of the ``carpetbagger'' charge by meeting it head on who was pregnant with the Kennedys' eighth child,'' Mrs `I'm the only candidate who can increase New York's population by 101/2.''' a scraggly looking guy wearing faded old jeans --.this is way before faded old jeans became fashionable -- wandered into the dinning room ``Dee sat him down and gave him a sandwich and had a few extra club sandwiches made for him to take home,'' Mrs Coppotelli still remembers the license plate number — K-40 The same guy stepped out only now he had changed into an expensive looking suit president of Westinghouse Electric International Co. a Scarsdale resident who spent his summers at Cedar Grove Beach Knox made big news during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 Knox was summoned to the Kremlin where he met privately with Soviet Premier Nikita Krushchev for an extraordinary three-hour conversation in which Krushchev spoke candidly about the weapons Russia had furnished to Cuba Cardinal Francis Spellman visited the Tavern many times Dee took him on a tour of the place which included an inspection of the kitchen Some salty language flavored the air before the employees realized that the eminent prelate was in their midst was:`I see you have some Harvard boys here.''' The big restaurant/catering hall was used as emergency headquarters by city state and federal authorities on several occasions One occasion was the December 1960 crash between two airliners over New Dorp and another was the April 1963 brush fires that ravaged the South Shore The Tavern was sold to a company made up of Greek-American restaurateurs who never enjoyed the success of the original owners The company went into arrears on its mortgages and taxes and the Coppotelli family reacquired it in 1977 Dee Coppotelli served as Island campaign manager for Govs Carey appointed him to the State Racing and Wagering Board in 1975 and Cuomo reappointed him in the 1980s This was home to the first Advance "Women of Acheivement." The event was moved to the Columbian Lyceum that year Now a long-abandoned shell of a building on Hylan Boulevard near Reid Avenue The 13-year run ended after a fire ravaged the spot in July alas about a year after it was freshly renovated they raised their kids in here," owner Stacie Korkokios told the Advance The cause of fire proved to be an overheated pump in a walk-in refrigerator George Burke is a known for his interior design and restoration work around Staten Island plus in restaurants like the former Sweet's of the old Fulton Fish Market area in Manhattan But he was also known for Burke's Landing a fancy restaurant housed at 2512 Arthur Kill Rd The Greek-revival home cum eatery was decorated in Civil War motif it is owned by Burke's former business partner popular Demyan's now encompasses several single family it was the watering hole for college kids up on Grymes Hill The food you see was a dish in the style of "The Lido," a restaurant formerly in Tompkinsville at 37 Victory Blvd (You can still see the name of the restaurant crafted in stucco on the buidling facade.) Anyway antipasto with shrimp was among the items enjoyed there by famed Staten Island artist John Noble — this version reconstructed by Framboise Catering at a Noble Museum dinner His parents bought the restaurant from Monge in 1946 It overlooked Victory Boulevard which then was known as the Richmond Turnpike we couldn't find an image of Jimmy Conte's Brighton Lounge located in New Brighton But we do have evidence of some of the food there — cream puffs was the chef for a number of years there where she baked her signature dessert Here they come fresh from the oven when she cooked at Rosebank Tavern We have Chinese restaurant memories likely...because of where we lived Frank Guerrera of Bulls Head saved this bit of Peking Garden memorabilia — thanks for the matches (Remember when you could smoke in restaurants?) My pals from school on the South Shore loved Lee's Imperial (once Tai Chi) and in Great Kills or those who belonged to the Flamingo Swim Club off of Amboy Road dined (or did the walk-up window) at Crown Palace nestled in that facility It's where Michael's Meatballs and Martinis now thrives in Dongan Hills According to the story reported by award-winning Advance web producer Stephanie Slepian: Co-owner Peter Roskowinski said "There's a time to get in and a time to get out...it was time to get out." He and partner Ray Heffernan a man of RH Tugs fame (the restaurant that is now Blue in Livingston) owned the place for 13 years Slepian wrote then as per Heffernan: "Like many businesses they never recovered from the attacks of Sept 2001...Property taxes are too high and sales tax on clothing sends Staten Islanders to New Jersey malls there went Pete's customers from the Sanitation Department Then came the smoking bans and the 16-screen theater over on Forest Avenue which drew patrons to the North Shore as opposed to the theater up the block from the restaurant When chef/owner Larry Cole opened his Sweet Basil restaurant in 1987 it didn't take long before restaurant patrons came from outside the neighborhood to eat here Italian food came into the mix along with mainstays like duck and lobster plus housemade desserts Cole is the owner of Cole's Dockside in Great Kills which features Italian fare and seafood After 75-years, the Corner House restaurant's final day in business was Sunday Hearing the news that it would soon change hands former Grant City residents and Staten Islanders with connections to the spot came to pay homage and bid their adieus on that final night "It's bittersweet — it really is "It's just time," added his wife The couple travels frequently now. As part of their retirement pleasure, they enjoy supping at Chef Jan Kitchen, the restaurant that now occupies the space Here to explain the blue and chrome diner that eventually moved to Midland Beach are former reporters Tom Flannagan and Maureen Seaburg who wrote this in 2002: which started out at Victory Boulevard and Manor Road in Castleton Corners in 1932 was a popular meeting and dining place until 1964 when it was moved to [Dongan Hills.] "In the early days that location was a turning as well as the cross over Manor Road bus route "Fred Winrock was the original owner of the diner in 1932 and offered free coffee to customers on opening day Winrock celebrated the anniversary by posting a menu outside the diner with 1932 prices Forty cents was the highest price on the menu — and it would get you a serving of roast fresh ham or two pork chops "A ham and cheese sandwich was going for 15 cents and a nickel would bring a large cup of coffee "In 1964 the diner was moved to its present location and a year later it was bought and operated by Paris Pappas and Angelo Sbiliris until 1982 when Pappas died." Pappas' wife,Maria It was featured in movies and TV shows such as Richard Dreyfus' "The Education of Max Bickford." the first claim to fame dates back to the early days of the 1940s when the world's most famous bank robber Willie (the Actor) Sutton escaped from Holmesburg Prison in Philadelphia and took up residence in Castleton Corners he worked at Farm Colony across the road from Sea View Hospital by day — and as a part-time short-order cook in the Victory by night Sutton left Staten Island quickly when his landlady recognized him from a wanted poster He enjoyed two more years of freedom living in Brooklyn until a salesman spotted him and turned him in to the police "Sutton was sentenced to 30 years in prison Sutton spent 37 of his 79 years of life in prison and died in 1980." The diner was moved to Midland Beach in 2007 for renovations From borough historian Tom Matteo: "Sadly When Hurricane Sandy struck in October 2012 all hopes of renovating the borough’s lost landmark were dashed It was determined that Sandy had damaged the diner beyond repair and it was demolished in May 2013." Henny's takes its name from a former owner/fisherman/amateur boxer purchased the 7,000-square-foot restaurant on Richmond Avenue in late 1993 Smith told the Advance in January 2011 that the building cost $5 million to restore It reopened two years earlier and highlighted some of the longtime structure's history "You'll never get all the information We lost a lot of everything else," said Smith The building now houses an urgi-care center Music and "The Shoals" — perfect together Thank goodness Advance reporter and former food critic Mike Azzara documented the place Here is a story he wrote in 2005 entitled "Where everyone knew your name." Demyan was an accomplished artist as well as a legendary restaurateur The Shoals property had "plenty of room for a dry dock and we had a lift for repairing boats," Mary Ann said "There were many party boats and people would come down each day to get fish There was gas and bait for sale and rowboats to rent." "The Shoals was designated a landmark since it had been in existence since 1903," she noted Dad was planning to rebuild a boatel and he had the patent on a clam-purifying plant Clamming had been a big part of Great Kills Harbor for decades The license came in a month after he died." He had always been low-key when it came to talking about good deeds She found out about many of them from friends and beneficiaries of his generosity over the years told her he had purchased all the furniture for the convent he and his wife May were installed in the Association of Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem In submitting a biographical resume for their membership in the order Dinger have been invaluable during the time of our construction program which involved the erection of 16 classrooms for our school and a convent for the sisters All outside construction work of these buildings [has] been generously donated by Mr The Dinger farm was greatly expanded when an adjacent parcel Dinger bought the farm from "Willie" Borgstede He then hired Borgstede (who was married to his sister) to work with Dinger Construction and kept him on even after the marriage broke up Mary Ann said that had her father not died when he did "I would like all Staten Islanders who still miss the Shoals and the good times to know that this (its sale for development) was not Dad's wish," she said opened the tray-service business in July 1957 in Dongan Hills Back then it was root beer in mugs for a nickle and car-hops who delivered the likes of hot dogs Sherry's Advance article in 2008: "The root beer was freshly made on the premises in two 25-gallon stainless-steel tanks." A wood paddle helped mix the sassafras and other extracts with sugar and water Mike Moudatsos of Mike's Diners' fame bought the place in 1995 Bacci's was a culinary institution in New Dorp on Hylan Boulevard that featured $1 cheeseburgers beer for 75 cents and a fillet of sole platter (with french fries) for $2.95 The place opened in 1950 with proprietors Albert Bacci Sr. It had a 30-year run and customers swore by their burgers It closed in 2004 but proved a unique spot in its heyday with the atrium/greenhouse facade typical of Staten Island modern architecture at this time As Advance reporter Karen O'Shea wrote of its final demise in 2005: "MJ's Supper Club once the lone holdout in the midst of new development on Arthur Kill Road in Richmond Valley was reduced to rubble this week to make way for a retail and office building." "The market's not there anymore," said Mark Langell to Advance reporter John Annese when the restaurant announced its impending closure Langell was the chef and owner of the 75-seat Continental fare restaurant and banquet facility at 4864 Arthur Kill Rd The market on Staten Island has turned away from fine dining with customers looking for more of a family restaurant experience We'll end (for now) on this restaurant note The restaurant was the stalwart of fine dining for those celebrating special moments This photo, for instance, comes courtesy of Theresa Tammone Joseph by the Sea's "Ring Day" with friends The Riviera Chateau was demolished in 1996 The property is now home to a strip mall that includes a drive-thru Burger King By: 10:00 pm on August 28 When a storm surge slammed into Aimann Youssef’s house on Midland Avenue in Staten Island during Hurricane Sandy it’s like being without an identity,” he told YIMBY His home was one of dozens damaged by a 16-foot tidal surge in Midland Beach where a handful of houses on each block remain empty he used a long orange extension cord to rescue several strangers who had been swept out of their homes and cars he pitched a relief tent in front of his ruined house serving up hot meals and donated supplies to his displaced neighbors the 45-year-old Syrian immigrant is taking steps to rebuild his house at 481 Midland Avenue and he’s not charging me for his work,” explained Youssef The three-and-a-half-story townhouse will have an upper duplex and a smaller garden apartment and his 81-year-old mother will occupy the lower unit In the wake of the hurricane, the city passed new building and zoning rules that create challenges for architects Living space and mechanicals have to be elevated 10 feet above the ground which could potentially create an anti-urban Blakely and his team included a raised front yard and plantings protected by concrete walls that rise several inches above the street The first floor will host a one-car garage and storage because it can’t be considered living space under the new flood zoning The facade will be clad in water-resistant fiber cement board panels Those same panels will also be perforated and used as retractable sun shades on the southern side of the house They’ll work as a rain screen and protect the windows when the next major storm hits And a cutout on the attic level will become a terrace offering attractive views of southern Brooklyn and the Rockaways The Department of Buildings will likely approve permits in the next few weeks and Blakely hopes to start construction soon There’s just one problem: Youssef doesn’t have any money to build it Attic level interior of 481 Midland Avenue Over the last two years, Youssef has turned his relief tent into a non-profit, Half Table Man Disaster Relief He says that whatever money he had has gone toward running a food pantry and travelling to volunteer in other places afflicted by natural disasters—Oklahoma He registered with the city’s Build It Back program in 2013 But like thousands of flood-battered New Yorkers he hasn’t seen any sign of federal relief funds 4,598 Staten Island homeowners registered with the program the city has only sent out 1,003 reimbursement checks and work on another 286 homes has already finished “I’m going to need lots of help to rebuild,” he said I hope I receive a check from God…I’m going to borrow $5,000 or $10,000 just to start.” Meanwhile, hundreds of other Staten Islanders have given up on rebuilding in the 100-year flood plain. Instead they embraced a “managed retreat”—they’ve applied to sell their homes to the state and move elsewhere But the buyout program has only benefited three neighborhoods: Oakwood Beach Three Staten Island city council members want the city to buy up the dozens of vacant homes in Youssef’s neighborhood “It is our understanding that some of these properties are unencumbered by mortgages, but the owners — having lacked the resources to pay for repairs and basic maintenance, property taxes, and increasing flood insurance premiums — have simply walked away,” the officials wrote in a letter this week to the city’s Office of Housing Recovery They’re asking the city to use Build It Back funding to purchase and redevelop the damaged properties because the repairs cost more than they’re worth The buyouts have apparently taken less time than issuing checks for rebuild projects or repairs. The city has already demolished more than 50 homes in Oakwood Beach where the community collectively decided to take a buyout from the state but others will be returned to nature or used as parkland