THIS YEAR, IN THE NAME OF GOOD HEALTH, RICHARD AND LOIS NICOTRA BORN AND RAISED STATEN ISLANDERS AND PASSIONATE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES MADE A DEFINING GIFT TO STATEN ISLAND UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL’S HEART INSTITUTE, ONE THAT WILL UPLIFT THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE AND ELEVATE HEART CARE IN THE BOROUGH FOR GENERATIONS TO COME

BY AMANDA McCOY • PHOTOS BY AMESSE PHOTOGRAPHY

At the entrance of the Lois & Richard Nicotra Heart Institute at Staten Island University Hospital, a striking heart-shaped sculpture in pink greets incoming patients and their families with the message: “Good Health Is Everything.” The artwork, designed by artist Patrick Weisel under the Nicotras’ guidance, was crafted as a symbol of comfort and hope for every person who walks through the doors of the newly refreshed institute, one of the foremost cardiac centers in the country. For Lois and Richard Nicotra, the dynamic husbandand-wife team behind The Nicotra Group, this message has served as a guidepost in life and business since launching their first venture nearly 50 years ago.

On June 3rd of this year, their 46th wedding anniversary, the couple stood in front of the sculpture to mark another milestone: the dedication of the Nicotras’ gift to SIUH’s Heart Institute, the largest single donation in the hospital’s history.

“Staten Island gave us everything: our start, our business, our community,” said Lois Nicotra. “In 1976, we opened our first company, Everything Yogurt, with the slogan ‘Good Health Is Everything.’ That phrase still defines how we live and give today.”

The Nicotras’ story is deeply rooted on Staten Island. Both raised in the borough and college sweethearts, Richard and Lois Nicotra founded The Nicotra Group out of their small basement apartment in the late ‘70s. Eventually, the couple grew the enterprise into Staten Island’s largest private real estate developer, with community at the heart of everything they build. Simply drive down South Avenue to witness firsthand their contributions to the borough: their Corporate Park of Staten Island features more than 1.5 million square feet of leased commercial space, two hotels, several restaurants, and an organic rooftop farm, all cradled by 415 acres of preserved Wetlands and verdant green spaces.

“Staten Island has been a part of our story since the beginning,” said Richard Nicotra. “It’s not just where we live; it’s where we built our life together. Our Corporate Park was always about giving Staten Islanders a place to work close to where they live. It’s more than just office space it’s about community-building.”

This lifelong mission to enrich the Staten Island community – inspired their hospital donation. At the Lois & Richard Nicotra Heart Institute, patients have access to the most progressive cardiac diagnostics, treatment, and disease prevention, all delivered by a world-class team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, subspecialists, and nurses. The Nicotras’ gift will not only expand the center’s heart services, but transform key areas of the campus to deliver an uplifting, comfort-driven patient experience on an entirely new level.

“Our background in hospitality shaped a lot of our vision for the space,” explained Lois Nicotra, who, along with her husband, collaborated closely with hospital leadership on all design elements. “This hospital and this moment is incredibly important to us. It’s the first time we’ve put our name on something outside of our Corporate Park, and that reflects how much we believe in what the doctors, nurses, and staff are doing at SIUH. The leadership of Northwell made us feel confident – both in their achievements now, and in their vision of all that will come. We would like to especially thank Mark Solazzo, Kevin Beiner, Dr. Brahim Ardolic, and Meagan Sills.”

The recently unveiled lobby is an area of pride for the couple. “We worked with the hospital and a company from California to design a nature-themed entrance – full of light, color, and calming elements,” said Richard Nicotra. “We wanted patients to feel a sense of peace before they even saw a doctor. It’s an enchanted forest in the middle of a hospital – and that’s the kind of comfort we believe everyone deserves.”

“Lois and Richard Nicotra were strategic partners in the overall design of the refurbished spaces,” added Meagan Sills, vice president and deputy hospital president at SIUH. “They’re experts in the hospitality field and have a great eye for atmosphere and design. They visited the facility multiple times throughout the renovation process.”

The gift is also being utilized to expand cardiology services in the center, with two new procedural spaces along with expanded patient spaces that will result in a 60% increase in capacity. For Lois Nicotra, this investment is particu – larly meaningful; in the 1990s, her father suffered a heart attack and had to be rushed to Manhattan for an emergency procedure.

“That moment changed how we saw the borough’s health care system,” said Richard Nicotra. “It made us realize just how important it is to have top-tier care right here. There have been so many advances since then, and today, thanks to SIUH, someone like Lois’ father could be treated on Staten Island. That’s what our gift is all about – making sure families can get the care they need without ever leaving home. That local access to excellent care is important for the patient and the family that will visit and care for them.”

“I think about all of our neighbors who will walk through those doors,” added Lois Nicotra. “We want them to feel confident, safe, and cared for. We hope this gift inspires others to give back and invest in making Staten Island better, stronger, and healthier.”

Lois & Richard Nicotra

Heart Institute at Staten Island University Hospital

475 Seaview Avenue 833.SI.HEART / siuh.northwell.edu/heart-institute