A Statement from Borough President Vito Fossella on Proposal for 460-Seat School on Bradley Avenue
Editor’s note: From Community Boards 2’s agenda last year discussing applications for variances: “BSA Application Number: 2023-59-BZ 280 Bradley Avenue Block 774, Lot 105 (“the Premises”)
Project Brief: This application requests a variance from the Board of Standards and Appeals to permit the construction of a Use Group 3 Religious school at the Premises, within an R3-1 zoning district contrary to Floor Area/Floor Area Ratio (Section 24-11), Lot Coverage (Section 24-11), Front Yard (Section 24-34), Side Yard (Section 24-35), Rear Yard (Section 24-36), Height, Setback and Sky Exposure Plane (Section 24-521), and Side Yard Setback (Section 24-551) regulations. The school is the girl’s division of the Ger Chassidic community’s education system.
Applicant: Jay Goldstein”
We have concerns regarding the project located at 280 Bradley Avenue. It is our understanding that the property, which is currently a one-family house, could be converted into a school that would accommodate 460 students.
In order for this project to proceed, the Board of Standards and Appeals would have to issue a variance. We object to this project in its current form.
Bradley Avenue is a vital throughfare seeing traffic off the Staten Island Expressway and connecting the North Shore to the mid Island, as well as several bus routes. Traffic conditions there are already dense as-is, and an additional school would make the situation even worse.
It must also be considered that Bradley Avenue is one lane in either direction, so any school bus or parents dropping off students would completely shut down traffic, and unfortunately encourage people to move into oncoming traffic to pass stopped vehicles. The neighborhood also has an established school in St. Rita’s and two more on the way with no on-site parking, so an additional school would only worsen an already difficult parking situation for the neighboring homes, schools and businesses.
We understand the need for more schools, but in its current form, this proposed school threatens to disrupt an already beleaguered street and neighborhood.
Banner Image: Quiet Staten Island street. Image Credit – Pom lic by CC
About The Author
The Office of the Borough President has a responsibility to advocate for the entire Borough of Staten Island and all its residents, and represents the Borough's interests within City government.
The Borough President communicates directly with the Mayor and the City Council to emphasize Staten Island’s budget priorities.
In addition, the Borough President is responsible for reviewing major land use decisions and proposing sites for city facilities within the Borough.
As the chair of the Borough Board, the Borough President leads Staten Island’s City Council delegation and Community Board chairs in the process of reviewing and approving the transfer of public properties to private use. The Borough President’s Office houses the Borough's Topographical Bureau, which maintains the borough’s official maps and assigns street addresses.
The Borough President monitors the delivery of city services on Staten Island, and acts as a liaison between residents and city agencies when problems arise to devise solutions. The Borough President is also responsible for appointing one member to the Panel for Educational Policy and one member to the City Planning Commission, as well as some 150 members to Staten Island’s three community boards.
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