A Borough-Based Economy

One of Jim Molinaro’s goals is to make Staten Island a more “self-sustaining” community. That means attracting more businesses and industries to the Island to expand our job base and reduce commute times for Staten Islanders.

Thanks to Jim Molinaro’s efforts, Staten Island is a business friendly community.  Jim created Empire Zones, restored our freight rail system and attracted job-providing industries such as New York Container Terminal and Pratt Industries to our Borough.

Jim’s vision for the future of Staten Island’s economy is already being realized.

New stores and restaurants will soon return to the St. George Ferry Terminal, so commuters and tourists can eat and shop in the newly renovated gateway to Staten Island.

Most recently, Jim Molinaro worked with Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Economic Development to secure a development plan for the Homeport site in Stapleton.   The project will result in $150 million in private sector investment that will create 800 residential housing units, new stores and a public plaza. The City will also invest $33 million for infrastructure and a new waterfront esplanade. The project is expected to create over 1,100 construction jobs and 150 permanent jobs.



Jim’s economic agenda for the next four years is equally ambitious, including:

• The expansion of the New York Container Terminal, already the largest container port in New York State, to create quality new jobs for Staten Islanders.
• Redevelopment of the former Coast Guard site in St. George, to bring new life to this underutilized property, attract tourists and revitalize the surrounding neighborhood.
• Creating a special economic development zone at the Teleport Site to attract out of town businesses that want to be part of New York City, but don’t want to pay the high rents, taxes and fees that often discourage businesses from locating here.

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New and Improved Roads and Intersections

Staten Island has 5% of the City’s population, but over 16% of its registered vehicles.

Meeting our traffic challenge will continue to be a top priority for Borough President Molinaro. Working with the Mayor and the New York City Department of Transportation, Jim Molinaro has proposed common sense initiatives to improve the flow of traffic, including:

• Expanding the use of “Smart Light Technology” to make traffic flow more efficient.

• Widening Forest Hill Road to two lanes in each direction to improve traffic flow and safety.

• Completing the West Shore Expressway Service Roads, which currently dead-end at Bloomingdale Road.

• Completing the mapped but un-built roads in Charleston where new schools, parks and other amenities are planned.

• Opening the Fresh Kills Roads as two lanes in each direction to provide a direct connection between the Richmond Avenue and the West Shore Expressway.

• Widening Amboy Road from Richmond Avenue to Armstrong Avenue along this busy retail corridor.

• Implementing DOT capital projects to improve congested intersections such as Clove Road & Victory Boulevard, Manor Road & Victory Boulevard and South Avenue & Forest Avenue.

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Leading the Way in Renewable Energy

Jim Molinaro wants to see our Borough in the forefront of “green” energy. That is why he has proposed the City’s first wind energy facility for Fresh Kills.

A feasibility study, performed by a private company at Jim Molinaro’s request, concluded that 7 wind turbines at Fresh Kills would produce 17.5 megawatts of electricity. That’s enough energy to meet the needs of the future Fresh Kills Park as well as 5,000 residential homes on Staten Island – at no cost to the taxpayers!

Across America, thousands of new wind turbines have been built, improving our environment and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Fresh Kills offers Staten Island the opportunity to join in the wind energy revolution.

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Island-wide Rail Service

Jim has made the revival of the North Shore Rail Road one of his top priorities.

A “Feasibility Study” funded by the Borough President’s Office was completed in 2004, and at Jim Molinaro’s request, the MTA has agreed to fund a federally-mandated “Alternative Analysis” study. Completing this study will qualify us to apply for federal transportation funding.

Jim Molinaro also supports efforts to create a West Shore Light Rail, which will connect from the North Shore Rail, along the West Shore Expressway to the South Shore of Staten Island.

Jim Molinaro’s goal is to create a light rail system around the entire Island. Ideally, this rail line would also continue over the Bayonne Bridge to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail in Bayonne, New Jersey, allowing Staten Islanders to commute directly to Jersey City, or switch to a PATH train into Manhattan.

An Island-wide rail service would improve commute times for our Staten Islanders and take hundreds of cars off our roads and highways, reducing traffic and benefiting our environment. Jim Molinaro will continue to support efforts to make it happen.

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Building on our Reputation as the “Borough of Parks”

Thanks to Jim Molinaro’s leadership, our parks are more accessible the ever. Across the Island, preserved open spaces and new playgrounds and ballfields are serving our Borough’s residents and children well, with more to come…

• Thanks to Mayor Bloomberg, we will soon open our Borough’s first Indoor Track in Ocean Breeze.

• With capital funding from Jim Molinaro’s office, 5 new playgrounds will be built across the Island, complete with handicapped accessible equipment so that all children can enjoy them.

• Jim Molinaro has also provided $3 million in capital budget funding toward the purchase of the Goodhue Center property, saving it from development.

• Thanks to Jim’s support, the Kroc Foundation selected the abandoned Bayley Seton Hospital property for the site of a $70 million dollar Kroc Community Center, the only one if its kind in New York City.

• And, of course, Jim will continue the improvements at the South Beach Boardwalk. Jim is working closely with the Parks Department on a new entry plaza in Ocean Breeze. There will be spray fountains for the children, and space to hold concerts and events.