Stapleton’s URBY Staten Island is creating people-shaped places for a new generation of apartment seekers

by JENNIFER VIKSE

For years, Staten Islanders hoped for a renaissance on their North Shore. With its proximity to Manhattan and enviable waterfront potential, it seemed like a natural place for development—where a fun, urban utopia would organically happen.

But it had not. Until now.

Once the site of a desolate Homeport, Stapleton’s waterfront was overlooked and under-utilized until recently. Located just steps from the Stapleton station of the Staten Island Rail Road and multiple bus routes, and within walking distance of the St. George Ferry Terminal, a fascinating new development is throwing open its doors.

URBY Staten Island is a new residential rental concept, with 900 apartments and 35,000 square feet of commercial space, offering residents and adjacent neighborhoods a “highly curated” selection of exciting new dining and shopping options.

The minds behind the idea, Hoboken based Iron state Development, have enjoyed success with several New Jersey waterfront projects, including the W Hotel Hoboken, 70 Columbus in Jersey City, and New Jersey Pier Village in Long Branch.

Ironstate is one of the largest real estate development firms in New Jersey, and is led by David Barry and Michael Barry. The former, who is also serving at CEO of URBY, has been involved in many high-profile real estate projects, including the Standard East Village and Chiltern Firehouse.

In fact, the Long Branch development is what got the group interested in Staten Island, said Greg Russo, principal at Ironstate.

“We had done a project in Pier Village—started in 2000, broke ground in 2003, and completed in multiple phases. We noticed a tremendous amount of people from Staten Island coming down there. That was what spurred us to look at Staten Island,” Russo explained. “We thought, ‘There’s a big demographic coming from Staten Island; there might be some waterfront locations there.’”

The two projects have several similarities. “They are both in the four- to fivestory range,” said Russo, “and are located on an active retail corridor—that’s really how we ended up here.”

Ironstate is currently involved in several projects in the tri-state area, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Hudson County (“What some people call the sixth borough,” Russo said).

“We love the strength of the New York City real estate market,” he added, and [that] of the Island, specifically, he said, “It’s a very big market. Young people on Staten Island are fleeing the borough because there are no cool residential options. That’s a market we thought we could capture, and hope to draw people from other areas like Bay Ridge in Brooklyn, too.”

With the “For Rent” signs ready to hit the windows, those who never thought this project would see the light of day are being proven wrong.

Rental notices went up two or three years before groundbreaking, Russo said, though many weren’t sure it would ever really happen.

“Even after we closed on the site, there was still skepticism,” Russo said. “Now it’s very positive.”

All three buildings comprising URBY Staten Island will offer a mix of studios (from $1,735), one- (starting at $2,165) and two-bedrooms (starting at $3,310). The last phase will begin construction by summer. The first two phases, at 7 Navy Pier Court and 8 Navy Pier Court, will begin renting shortly.

The apartments offer high ceilings, oversized windows, and vertical bamboo hardwood flooring throughout. Modern kitchens feature rich black stone countertops, custom white cabinetry, and stylish stainless steel appliances, including dishwashers. Bathrooms boast cloud porcelain floor tile and black ceramic glazed tile for the walls. The units also include custom closets, built-in storage in bedrooms and living rooms, and individual GE washer/dryers.

The award-winning Dutch firm Concrete penned the exterior and interior architecture, as well as the landscaping (this was its first residential development in New York). The firm is responsible for designing boutique hotels around the world (including interiors of the W Hotel London, Leicester Square) and various global locations of Supperclub, a collection of restaurants and lounges.

“The designers behind this do boutique hotels, and we saw how they use space more efficiently,” Russo noted. “These are not micro units, but smaller units that are efficiently designed with storage opportunities. We saw how these architects were using space better, and that’s what attracted us to them. Their exterior design…landscape design—they’re sustainable. They were a very good fit for what we wanted.”

The buildings’ exteriors are of contemporary design, featuring more glass and larger windows that are typically seen in the borough, and its apartments are designed to consume minimal energy.

URBY will additionally feature smart technology systems throughout the development, such as keyless building and apartment entry from the German company KISI, along with SMARTair apartment door locks, and the ButterflyMX video intercom system for residents’ smart phones that can open the front door for visitors, send a virtual keys to visitors to access a residence, and manage records of guests and service personnel.

Also unique in the neighborhood’s rental marketplace is an on-site farm (in progress) to supply residents with fresh produce and herbs. The farm will help residents live more consciously and sustainably by teaching them to grow their own food while building community solidarity (there will also be a Farmer in Residence, the first of its kind in New York City).

Gourmands will take further cheer in URBY’s communal kitchen and dining room, complete with a chef in residence— New York City restaurant veteran Brendan Costello, who will teach residents how to cook gourmet meals in cooking classes, host regularly scheduled “Chef ’s Tastings” curated around specific themes, and be available to residents during scheduled office hours.

Additional features and amenities include a 5,092-square-foot fitness Center with Technogym Equipment, a storage room that houses 519 bikes, an outdoor pool, landscaped courtyard with fire pits, an on-site garage with 300 spaces, and free wi-fi in public areas.

Commercial spaces on the ground floor are also filling up. Owners of the Pearl Room restaurant in Brooklyn have leased space; Coffeed, a Long Island City based café and coffee company, will run the on-site café and bodega; Carter and Cavero offers extra-virgin and whole fruit-fused olive oils and olive related products for cooking, health, home and beauty; and Lola Star, an eclectic boutique that started in Coney Island, will offer its locally handmade accessories, gifts, and tee shirts.

Located near a recently revamped esplanade, “I feel like this is an underappreciated part of New York City,” Russo said. “There’s a real retail market here that we can create.”

Ironstate has a proven track record of doing just that. “We go into a new town, a new city—look to acquire land in the area, and in the process, create a lot of value there,” Russo explained. “We’re going to be an important part of increasing land values.”

The project is part of the Core Four projects, which are transforming the North Shore (the others are Empire Outlets, an outlet mall and entertainment complex, The New York Wheel, a 630-foot-tall Ferris wheel, and Lighthouse Pointe).

This is the first of a planned series of other URBY developments set to open in other cities, with a shared focus of working in an emerging area and leading its transformation. The next, URBY Harborside, is expected to open later this year in Jersey City.

Leasing officially launched in March of this year, with a select number of residences in the first of the two buildings, 8 Navy Pier Court, made available for rent. Shortly thereafter, additional leasing will be launched for apartments in the other buildings.

URBY
7 & 8 Navy Pier Court / 718.273.8000
urbystatenisland.com