WELCOME TO SOUTH BEACH

The South Beach neighborhood of Staten Island may lack the glamour and bravado of its famous namesake in Florida, but in both places, it is safe to see the beach as the primary attraction

The area has come a long way in 20 years. Back in the ’90s it faced serious problems. Even the now-popular boardwalk was overgrown, frequently a target for arson and a favorite spot for drug dealers. It was about 10 years ago that developers stepped in, replacing much of the housing stock of small bungalows with two-family colonials or town houses. The city also pitched in to clean up the beach; since 1995, it has spent $20 million on the boardwalk.
These days the area is crowded with families, much as it was in the early part of the last century, when the neighborhood was a popular resort destination for city dwellers and other fun seekers. (In 1906, for example, 30,000 people flocked to the opening of Happyland Amusement Park.)
The changes in the later ’90s caused home prices to jump. Yet South Beach today remains largely undiscovered. It’s possible to get a lot of house for your money and still be in a quality neighborhood.
It’s the quality of the neighborhood that most concerns Joseph McAllister, who helped create the South Beach Civic Association in 2001 to push back against the newly abundant development. The spate of town houses in particular introduced a glut of cars to the narrow streets. His group has had some success, as new zoning regulations have gone into effect. His group and others in the community have also been successful in stopping Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s plan to close Engine Company 161, the area’s fire station.

WHAT YOU'LL FIND:
Like many neighborhoods on Staten Island, South Beach has somewhat amorphous boundaries. It is generally said to stretch from Lily Pond Avenue on the northeast, to Lower New York Bay on the southeast. Quintard Street is the southwestern boundary; McClean and Major Avenues are the other major lines of demarcation.
A few more than 8,000 people call South Beach home.
Were it not for the numerous Metropolitan Transportation Authority buses passing through, visitors could be forgiven for thinking they were outside of New York City. The neighborhood slopes up from the bay, and various roads wind up and around the emerging hill.
Two distinct housing options predominate: the remaining single-family bungalows and the new town houses and semidetached colonials. Most of the newer homes add bulk and height to the neighborhood, but also a different feel — less summer hideaway, more permanent playground.
Despite all of the development in the past decade, the area has managed to avoid many of the usual trappings of gentrification; it has maintained a decidedly working- and middle-class aura. The nearest Starbucks, it might be noted, is in Brooklyn.

WHAT TO DO
Without question the beach is the main draw. The 1.7-mile-long boardwalk is ideal for joggers or for catching a sunrise. The South Fin Grill, which opened in 2005 on the boardwalk, is a popular dining option; for dessert, there is the nearby Ben & Jerry’s. Fishermen, meanwhile, toss their bait into the bay from the 835-foot-long Ocean Breeze Fishing Pier.
Although there are some shops on Sand Avenue, the neighborhood doesn’t have much retailing. Shopping is a short drive away, along Hylan Boulevard.
The Basilio Inn Restaurant, off Lily Pond Road in South Beach, opened in 1921 and lays claim to being the oldest restaurant in the borough.
Just to the north of the neighborhood, partially under the bridge, is the 18th-century Fort Wadsworth, a military base that opened its gates to the public in 1997. “If you go there, bring your walking shoes,You’re going to want to be there for a while.

THE COMMUTE
Many residents take the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Brooklyn or Midtown Manhattan. The drive to Midtown can take from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the traffic.
Several express buses serve the area, too, including an X6, which generally takes 40 minutes or more to arrive in Midtown during rush hour. The S51 and S52 take residents to the Staten Island Ferry.
THE HISTORY
The area now known as South Beach was the site of the first permanent settlement on Staten Island. The settlement started in the early 1660s and was known as Oude Dorp — Old Town in Dutch. The site was appreciated because of its flat land, which allowed for farming and grazing, and because a creek allowed easy access to the bay.

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