The free, 24/7 Staten Island Ferry takes visitors and commuters back and forth from St. George terminal to Battery Park in lower Manhattan.

STATEN ISLAND

Population: 477,377
Total area in square miles: 60.2
Staten Island Real Estate Listings

Even with the fastest growing population in the five boroughs, Staten Island is the least populated overall and most suburban. The Island is shaped like a triangle and is 13.9 miles long and 7.3 miles wide. Giovanni da Verrazzano first sailed to the island in 1524 and in 1609, Henry Hudson named it. The Verrazano Narrows Bridge connects the island to Brooklyn.

Notable Employers: Snug Harbor Cultural Center

ST. GEORGE

Neighborhood Boundaries: On the hills of the northeastern shore of Staten Island above the St. George Ferry Terminal; from Richmond Terrace to the north, Victory Boulevard to the south, Bay Street to the east, and Westervelt Avenue to the west.

The free, 24/7 Staten Island Ferry takes visitors and commuters back and forth from St. George terminal to Battery Park in lower Manhattan. It's a wonderful boat ride past Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty with spectacular views of Manhattan. St. George is the first neighborhood you get to when you get off the ferry. There are new condos and rental apartments built on the waterfront, some with spectacular views of New York Harbor. The St. George Historic District and the St. Paul's Avenue-Stapleton Heights Historic District have an eclectic mix of architectural styles, and some homes have sweeping water views.

The neighborhood went through a period of decline but has been revitalized since the 1990s, with workforce commuters to the city who couldn't afford the more expensive areas such as Lower Manhattan or Park Slope moving in. Once predominantly Irish, St. George has grown diverse with a mix of Caribbean, African-American, Italian, Filipino, Southeast Asian, Polish and Indian residents.

Ten minutes by bus from St. George is the 107-acre Silver Lake Park which has a golf course, tennis courts and ballparks. The neighborhood's principal commercial area is around Hyatt Street and Stuyvesant Place, where you'll find lots of ethnic eateries and basic shopping.

St. George has become popular with a wide assortment of people and especially those who work in lower Manhattan near the ferry. Families also like St. George because it has a reputation for good public schools and offers a host of private schools for schoolchildren of every age.

Also See: Fort George Real Estate Listings

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