The Rise of the Fifth Borough

Geographically and culturally, Staten Island has always seemed more like a part of suburban New Jersey than of the urban leviathan that is New York City. That image is changing. 

New development in the borough, especially on the northern end, near the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, includes high-density condos, expansive retail districts, and urban amenities that would be at home in Williamsburg or Greenwich Village. There are even plans for the city's first outlet mall and a 630-foot-tall Ferris wheel. Developers are, in essence, trying to offer the best of both worlds: urban living, without the exorbitant costs that dominate Manhattan and that have crept into the other three boroughs as well. 

"Big-city cool is popping up in a place not always noted for it: Small-batch espresso will soon flow at a coffee shop; a jug band played kazoos at a recently opened brewery; and stores selling brand-name skinny-leg pants are on their way. And a fresh crop of renters and buyers, unable to afford pricier precincts and unfazed by stereotypes about how the place can seem insular, bland or run-down, are setting sail for the island."

"[I]f the pace of progress has been halting, this year could mark a turning point, with major projects starting construction, hundreds of new apartments coming to market, and online searches for Staten Island homes jumping off the charts — a strong indicator of future sales."