Ferris wheel and outlets come to the island

Plans to build have mixed reactions from Islanders.

Designs for the North Shore project.
Perkins Eastman Architects
Designs for the North Shore project.

 

For as long as people can remember, Staten Island has been the forgotten borough. Tourists spend much more time in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx and even Queens than they do taking the orange boat over to Staten Island. Manhattan has almost three times the population of Staten Island, so even locals prefer to stay in the confines of the concrete jungle. However, that might all be about to change with the upcoming Harbor Commons project. A huge “observation wheel” or Ferris wheel is going to be built on the St. George waterfront. The $230 million project will fund a 630 foot tall “New York Wheel,” which will be the tallest in the world. It will boast 36 capsules, each treating 40 passengers to stunning views of the Manhattan Skyline. Around the wheel is a great lawn area, and entrances to the 9/11 Postcards Memorial and Empire Outlets.

The Empire Outlets are the second part of the harbor reconstruction, another $260 million investment. Directly adjacent to the ferry terminal, the complex boasts 340,000 square feet of prime open air retail space with room for 125 premium brands. Being developed by BFC partners, the project will also include a 1,250 square foot parking garage and a 200 room hotel for visitors.

The project sounds great for tourism and even local enjoyment. Freshman Elaine Lau and sophomore Stacey Cheng are both excited for the opening of the wheel. “I think the wheel is a cool idea because it will put Staten Island on the map as a tourist destination,” said Cheng, “It would be cool to shop and hang out after school as well.” When asked if she would ride the wheel when the project is completed, Lau said, “Definitely.”

Junior Johnnan Monzon also agreed, “It gives everyone something to do after school and gives opportunities to meet people. I’m looking forward to riding the Ferris wheel.”

Staff are getting excited too. Physics teacher Ms. Jackson weighed in, saying, “It’s a great idea to use the beautiful waterfront to encourage people to visit the Island.”

However, not everyone agrees. Senior Dinah Nahid, a St. George resident, said the new complex would be a nuisance. “The wheel would block the view of the skyline I have from my window and the way it lights up at night would keep me up at night,”  said Nahid. Nahid also stated that parking, which is already difficult, would become worse. Some even say, as massive as a project this is, the infrastructure won’t support the number of tourists .