"Staten Island's senior population is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade," explains Mark A. Levine, head of the Land Use and Zoning practice at Herrick, Feinstein LLP, which filed the application for the project with the city on behalf of the development team. "Many Staten Islanders are forced to look outside the borough to find affordable senior housing."

Two not-for-profit development groups--the Saint Frances DeSales Development Corporation and the Metropolitan New York Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty--were selected by the New York Economic Development Corp. to undertake the development which will be targeted toward moderate-income Staten Island residents. It will offer a combination of assisted- and independent -living units and will be marketed initially to Staten Island seniors. Total development costs were not available at deadline.

The development will also contribute to the preservation of open space since the application includes the transfer of nearly two-thirds of the site to the New York City Parks Department. Additionally it expands the Borough's inventory of publicly accessible spaces managed by the Parks Dept.