West New Brighton, Staten Island
Encyclopedia
West New Brighton is a neighborhood of New York City
, Richmond County, USA
, situated along the central North Shore
of Staten Island
. The neighborhood borders New Brighton
to the east, Port Richmond
to the west, the waters of the Kill Van Kull
to the north, and the communities of Sunnyside
and Castleton Corners
to the south.
The oldest continually operating cricket club in the US was established in West Brighton in 1872, at the site now operated as Walker Park. The Staten Island Cricket Club still has matches there. This is also the site of the first lawn tennis court in the US, built in 1873.
The neighborhood was transformed in the years following World War II. Two large public housing developments were built . The first, the Markham Homes, was originally built to house the families of shipyard & defense workers. The West Brighton Houses followed. Starting in 2004 tenants in The Markham Homes were evicted, so the site might be redeveloped. As of 2007 all tenants had been relocated. While claims had been made that many residents would be able to return into the redeveloped area, few have been able to at this point as a result of the attempts to gentrify the area.
Since the late 90's the area has seen a reduction in some crime rates. Richmond Terrace, which is the main thoroughfare along the Kill Van Kull waterfront, is home to several shipyards and tugboat companies. The area south of Delafield Avenue, Brighton Heights, continues to be home to some of West Brighton's more affluent residents including politicians, lawyers, judges and professionals.
, 21.7% African American
, 3.8% Asian
, 0.3% Native American
, 3.8% of the population were of two or more races, 8.6% of the population were other and 19.4% were Hispanic
or Latino
. The top 5 ancestries were 22.0% Italian
, 18.3% Irish
, 10.4% Puerto Rican
, 7.4% German
and 3.8% Polish
.
, and several small abandoned cemeteries in which members of some of the island's founding families are interred. Snug Harbor is also located in West Brighton. It holds baseball fields, a children's museum, a Chinese garden, botanical gardens, the Art Lab and the Staten Island Conservatory of Music. St. Peter's Cemetery, which is still properly maintained and is the oldest Roman Catholic cemetery on Staten Island (opened in 1848), is also located here.
The former St. Vincent's Medical Center, now known as Richmond University Medical Center
is located in West Brighton. While most of the buildings on the RUMC campus date from the late 1960s or more recent, the Garner Mansion goes back to the 19th Century. It at one time was used for the St. Austin's Military School
, now defunct.
is 10310, and the territory served by this zip code is virtually coterminous with the boundaries of the neighborhood itself (such boundaries not officially existing for any neighborhoods within New York City). The neighborhood is roughly defined as the area around and to the northeast of the intersection of Jewett Avenue and Forest Avenue, one of the major east-west thoroughfares on the island.
operates the West New Brighton Branch at 976 Castleton Avenue at North Burgher Avenue.
station of the North Shore branch of the Staten Island Railway
until March 31, 1953.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Richmond County, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, situated along the central North Shore
North Shore, Staten Island
The term North Shore is frequently applied to a series of neighborhoods within New York City's borough of Staten Island, USA.- Boundaries :...
of Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
. The neighborhood borders New Brighton
New Brighton, Staten Island
New Brighton, formerly an independent village, is today a neighborhood located on the North Shore of Staten Island in New York City, USA. The neighborhood comprises an older industrial and residential harbor front area along the Kill Van Kull west of St. George.The village of New Brighton was...
to the east, Port Richmond
Port Richmond, Staten Island
Port Richmond is a neighborhood situated on the North Shore of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, United States. It is along the waterfront of the Kill Van Kull, with the southern terminus of the Bayonne Bridge serving as the boundary between it and Mariners Harbor, the...
to the west, the waters of the Kill Van Kull
Kill Van Kull
The Kill Van Kull is a tidal strait between Staten Island, New York and Bayonne, New Jersey in the United States. Approximately long and wide, it connects Newark Bay with Upper New York Bay. The Robbins Reef Light marks the eastern end of the Kill, Bergen Point its western end...
to the north, and the communities of Sunnyside
Sunnyside, Staten Island
Sunnyside is the name of a neighborhood in the Mid-Island region of the New York City borough of Staten Island.Two large city parks—Silver Lake Park and Clove Lakes Park—form the eastern and western boundaries, respectively, of Sunnyside, which is named for a boarding house that was...
and Castleton Corners
Castleton Corners, Staten Island
Castleton Corners is an upscale neighborhood of Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City. It is in a region of the island often referred as the North Shore, Staten Island....
to the south.
History
Originally known as "Factoryville," Islanders now commonly refer to the area as West Brighton. Some parts of the neighborhood closer to the shoreline are referred to as "Livingston" and or "Randal Manor". This area of Staten Island was originally settled by the Dutch in the 1600's, who were then followed by English settlers. During the American Revolution residents of West Brighton overtly remained loyal to the Crown. Successive waves of immigrants to the US then led to the area becoming populated by the Irish, followed by Italians. Today, the neighborhood consists mostly of Italians, Irish, African Americans, and Hispanics.The oldest continually operating cricket club in the US was established in West Brighton in 1872, at the site now operated as Walker Park. The Staten Island Cricket Club still has matches there. This is also the site of the first lawn tennis court in the US, built in 1873.
The neighborhood was transformed in the years following World War II. Two large public housing developments were built . The first, the Markham Homes, was originally built to house the families of shipyard & defense workers. The West Brighton Houses followed. Starting in 2004 tenants in The Markham Homes were evicted, so the site might be redeveloped. As of 2007 all tenants had been relocated. While claims had been made that many residents would be able to return into the redeveloped area, few have been able to at this point as a result of the attempts to gentrify the area.
Since the late 90's the area has seen a reduction in some crime rates. Richmond Terrace, which is the main thoroughfare along the Kill Van Kull waterfront, is home to several shipyards and tugboat companies. The area south of Delafield Avenue, Brighton Heights, continues to be home to some of West Brighton's more affluent residents including politicians, lawyers, judges and professionals.
Demographics
As of 2000 U.S. Census, there were 22,852 people living in West New Brighton. The demographics were 61.7% WhiteWhite
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
, 21.7% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 3.8% Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
, 0.3% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 3.8% of the population were of two or more races, 8.6% of the population were other and 19.4% were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
. The top 5 ancestries were 22.0% Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, 18.3% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 10.4% Puerto Rican
Puerto Ricans in the United States
Stateside Puerto Ricans are American citizens of Puerto Rican origin, including those who migrated from Puerto Rico to the United States and those who were born outside of Puerto Rico in the United States...
, 7.4% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and 3.8% Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
.
Landmarks
Notable landmarks include the Staten Island ZooStaten Island Zoo
The Staten Island Zoo is a small urban zoo in northern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. The zoo is open year round except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day...
, and several small abandoned cemeteries in which members of some of the island's founding families are interred. Snug Harbor is also located in West Brighton. It holds baseball fields, a children's museum, a Chinese garden, botanical gardens, the Art Lab and the Staten Island Conservatory of Music. St. Peter's Cemetery, which is still properly maintained and is the oldest Roman Catholic cemetery on Staten Island (opened in 1848), is also located here.
The former St. Vincent's Medical Center, now known as Richmond University Medical Center
Richmond University Medical Center
Richmond University Medical Center is a hospital in West New Brighton, Staten Island in New York City. The hospital occupies the buildings that were formerly St. Vincent's Medical Center, which closed in 2006.-History:...
is located in West Brighton. While most of the buildings on the RUMC campus date from the late 1960s or more recent, the Garner Mansion goes back to the 19th Century. It at one time was used for the St. Austin's Military School
St. Austin's Military School
For the school in Texas, see St. Austin Catholic School.St. Austin's Military School is a defunct military academy formerly located in the West Brighton section of Staten Island, New York. The school was founded in 1883 with the name St. Austin's Episcopal School for Boys. The name of the school...
, now defunct.
Location
West New Brighton's ZIP CodeZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
is 10310, and the territory served by this zip code is virtually coterminous with the boundaries of the neighborhood itself (such boundaries not officially existing for any neighborhoods within New York City). The neighborhood is roughly defined as the area around and to the northeast of the intersection of Jewett Avenue and Forest Avenue, one of the major east-west thoroughfares on the island.
Public libraries
New York Public LibraryNew York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...
operates the West New Brighton Branch at 976 Castleton Avenue at North Burgher Avenue.
Transportation
West New Brighton is well served by public transportation. It is served by buses along Castleton Avenue, Richmond Terrace, Forest Avenue, Broadway, and Cary/Post Avenues. It was served by the West New BrightonWest New Brighton (Staten Island Railway station)
West New Brighton is a station on the abandoned North Shore Branch of the Staten Island Railway. It had two side platforms and two tracks. It closed on March 31, 1953. It was located in the West New Brighton section of Staten Island, north of Richmond Terrace between North Burgher Avenue and...
station of the North Shore branch of the Staten Island Railway
Staten Island Railway
The Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority, publicly known as MTA Staten Island Railway or SIR, is the operator of the lone rapid transit line in the borough of Staten Island, New York City, USA...
until March 31, 1953.