Downsizing in St. George and New Brighton, Staten Island

St. George and New Brighton at a glance

The Landmarks Preservation Commission traces the area to one of the earliest planned suburban communities in the city. A developer began it in 1834 and 1835, and the New Brighton Association promoted it as a commuter suburb reached by steamboat ferry. The commission says building picked up in the 1880s, when competing Staten Island ferry lines were consolidated at the site of the present St. George ferry terminal, and that the name St. George first appears on an 1885 map.

The commission designated the St. George/New Brighton Historic District on July 19, 1994. Its report describes about 78 buildings on a hillside, most of them wood-frame houses with clapboard or shingle siding in Queen Anne, Shingle and Colonial Revival styles.

Sources: Landmarks Preservation Commission, designation report LP-1883; LPC, Staten Island historic districts.

Housing for downsizers in St. George and New Brighton

The city's housing agency says the vast majority of homes on Staten Island's North Shore are in small buildings of one to four families. In the historic district, the commission's report describes single houses and double houses, often on sloping lots, with porches, towers and bays.

• A landmarked house. The Landmarks Law requires owners to get a permit from the Commission before work that affects the exterior. Ask the seller what work has been approved, and price repairs to windows, porches and siding with that review in mind.
• Hillside living. The commission notes houses set uphill and back from the street, and others on narrow lots running downhill with extra stories at the rear. Count the steps from the street to the door and between floors.
• Other buildings nearby. Around the terminal and along Bay Street the housing differs from the hill. Do not assume an ownership form from a building's look. Confirm from documents whether a unit is a house, a condominium unit, a co-op apartment or a rental.

The state's property condition disclosure statement covers one to four family homes but not condominiums, co-ops or homeowners' association property that is not held in fee simple. Read New York seller disclosures and the guide to co-ops, condos, townhouses and houses.

Sources: NYC Housing Preservation and Development, Bay Street Corridor; LPC designation report; LPC, permit applications; NY Real Property Law, section 461.

Getting around St. George

• The Staten Island Ferry. NYC DOT says it is free and runs every day, year-round, to Lower Manhattan. NYC311 lists the terminals as St. George Ferry Terminal (1 Bay Street) and Whitehall Terminal (1 Whitehall Street).
• The Staten Island Railway. St. George is the northern terminal. The MTA's timetable says trains run 24 hours a day between St. George and Tottenville and connect with the ferry at St. George. The MTA's accessible stations list says to use the north side elevator for the bus and taxi, ferry or subway levels.
• Buses. The MTA lists Staten Island local and SIM express routes on its bus schedules page. Check the route pages against the address you are considering.
• Half fare at 65. The MTA's Reduced-Fare program is open to anyone 65 or older and covers the Staten Island Railway. See our guide to getting around after 65.

Sources: NYC DOT; NYC311; MTA timetable; MTA accessible stations; MTA Reduced-Fare.

Health care near St. George

Richmond University Medical Center is at 355 Bard Avenue. See rumcsi.org. Staten Island University Hospital's Ocean Breeze (North) campus is at 475 Seaview Avenue and reports an emergency department open around the clock. Check that your doctors and plan participate before you rely on any one hospital.

Everyday life around St. George

• Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden. The organization says it occupies 83 acres on Staten Island's North Shore and began in the early 1800s as a charitable home for aged sailors. Its campus includes museums, artist studios, botanical gardens, the Chinese Scholar's Garden and the Heritage Farm. See snug-harbor.org.
• Staten Island Museum. It is at 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building A, at Snug Harbor, with natural science, art and history exhibits. See its site for hours and admission.
• St. George Library Center. A New York Public Library branch. Find hours on the NYPL branch page.
• Older adult centers. The Staten Island Jewish Community Center lists a Stapleton older adult center at 189 Gordon Street, farther along the railway line. NYC Aging's finder lists others, and membership is free for New Yorkers 60 and older.

Storms, flooding and insurance in St. George

Richmond County was among the counties in the federal disaster declaration for Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The city's post-Sandy report says the storm struck with particular ferocity in the East and South Shores of Staten Island, and it does not tell you about a single block here. The historic district climbs a hill, but elevation differs from one address to the next.

• Enter the address in the city's Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder. The city explains its six zones on its evacuation page.
• Check the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Evacuation zones and FEMA flood zones are different maps.
• Ask about a separate flood policy, since standard homeowners, condo and co-op policies exclude flood. FloodHelpNY has guidance.

Our flood and storm insurance guide explains the details.

Property taxes and local government in St. George

St. George is in Richmond County, and the city bills property tax. The Senior Citizen Homeowners' Exemption covers one to three family homes, condos and co-ops (co-ops apply separately) for owners 65 or older with combined income of $58,399 or less, by March 15 (March 16 in 2026). Enhanced STAR reduces school taxes for owners 65 and older within its income limit, and a buyer registers with the state. In a co-op or condo, the board applies for the city's tax abatement for the whole building. On a sale, state and city transfer taxes apply; the net proceeds calculator estimates them. Read costs and money and the senior property tax exemptions guide, and have a New York lawyer or CPA confirm the figures.

Sources: NYC 311, SCHE; NY Tax Department, STAR; NYC Finance, co-op and condo abatement.

Questions to ask before you buy in St. George

• Is the address inside the St. George/New Brighton Historic District, and what exterior work has been approved?
• How many steps are there from the street to the door, and inside the home?
• Is this a house, a condominium unit, a co-op apartment or part of a homeowners' association, and what do the documents say?
• How would I reach the ferry terminal or the railway on foot, and what is the grade?
• What do the evacuation zone finder and FEMA's map show for this address?
• When were the roof, boiler, porches and drainage last replaced?

The downsizing plan lays out the steps. See the rest of Staten Island or the South Shore's Great Kills and Eltingville. To be introduced to an agent, get matched with one on the operating team at eXp Realty. Introductions go only to agents on that team, so this is not a search of the whole market.