By Brian McGowan

Last week it was announced that the old convent on Fort Place in St. George, Staten Island would become a boutique hotel.  In an interview with the Staten Island Advance, local developer George Christo announced that he changed his plans for the project to become an apartment building because it made sense for the community.

My partner Rob Nixon and I have been working with real estate investors and small business owners who understand that the our borough is quickly becoming the place where people want to live, work and play.  Proposed changes in zoning proposed by Mayor DeBlasio along the Bay Street corridor will open up great opportunities for investors and provide the Stapleton and Tompkinsville neighborhoods with a much needed increase in residential units near to public transportation.

As The New York Wheel, Empire Outlets and Lighthouse Point near completion, visitors from around the world will arrive on our shores to explore Staten Island. From great local eateries opening at Minthorne to historic cultural institutions such as Snug Harbor, Alice Austen House and the Garabaldi Museum, visitors have plenty of reasons to spend their time and money on the north shore.  This hotel on Fort Place will accommodate their stay withing walking distance to our most famous attraction – the Staten Island Ferry.  [read more]