City Living: Port Richmond, Staten Island

By Kristen V. Brown | Special to amNewYork

December 27, 2007

amNewYork city living: Port Richmond (Lane Johnson, amNewYork / December 26, 2007)

Once the "Fifth Avenue" of Staten Island, the formerly bustling Port Richmond Avenue was a major center of transportation and industry in the 19th century. The area was first incorporated collectively as Port Richmond in 1866, after the Staten Island Railway constructed their first North Shore Branch stop on the avenue.

Port Richmond entered a severe economic decline after the construction of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in the 1960s shifted Staten Island's development and commerce to the center of the island. Then the North Shore Branch of the Staten Island Railway closed, leaving behind a dilapidated track that is today unkempt and overgrown with weeds.

More recently, Port Richmond is seeing new life, powered in part by the arrival of Mexican immigrants who have reopened businesses on Port Richmond Avenue. Indeed, the area is noted for its diversity. With Italians, Irish and Albanians calling the area home, Port Richmond is a true New York melting pot.

"The diversity of the area makes it more real, it's a down to earth place," said Tim Fink, Sr., who owns an auto repair shop in Port Richmond.

The area boasts many historical buildings. A stroll down Decker and Heberton avenues offers a tour of Victorian mansions. Old churches and temples abound, including Temple Emanu-El of Staten Island, which was built in 1907. The New York Public Library branch dates to 1905.

Find it

On Staten Island's north shore, Port Richmond is defined by the Kill Van Kull to the north, the Bayonne Bridge and MLK Expressway to the west, Forest Avenue to the south and Broadway to the east.

To Eat

Denino's Pizzeria and Ralph's Italian Ice are two neighborhood staples that survived the economic decline in the area. And with a newly settled population of Mexican immigrants, the area offers up authentic Mexican cuisine in addition to traditional Italian.

Denino's Pizzeria

This pizza joint is one of New York's best-kept secrets, and a reason tourists make the trek out to Staten Island. "I have a couple from Australia that comes every year on their way from the airport," says Michael Burk, owner of Denino's and stepson of Carl Denino, who first turned the restaurant into a pizzeria in the 1950s.
524 Port Richmond Ave.
718-442-9401

Casa Milla
Up the block from Denino's, the newer Casa Milla offers a more extensive menu than Deninos. Specialties include Veal Casa Milla, zuppa di pesce and a range of Italian favorites.
461 Port Richmond Ave.
718-981-4530

Los Jarochitas
This small Mexican restaurant does mostly take-out orders, but the food is about as authentic as you can find north of the border. The huevos and chorizo is a morning favorite with local workers.
297 Port Richmond Ave.
718-876-9090

Ralph's Italian Ice
Ralph's closes for the winter, but in the summertime hoards of ice cream seekers line up down and around the block. Today, there are several Ralph's on the East Coast, but this is the original.
501 Port Richmond Ave.
718-448-0853

Singlelicious
Some of the best Southern cooking north of the Mason-Dixon line, the quality soul food at this Staten Island eatery even earned a mention on Oprah.
1612 Forest Ave.
718-390-7593

Tacos La Abuelita
Tacos will cost you only a buck at this popular, authentic neighborhood Mexican joint. Specialties include cueritos, or pork skins.
229 Port Richmond Ave.
718-273-4648

To Party

Most locals will testify that Port Richmond is pretty much devoid of things to do at night. Most people either trek to Manhattan or nearby New Jersey for a night out. That said, for those too lazy to make the trip, Denino's and other restaurants also double as taverns, and there is one sports bar in town. "On the weekends, you gotta leave," emphasizes 19-year-old Timmy Fink, a Port Richmond native.

DugOut Pub
You'll find everyone left in Port Richmond who's looking to party at this neighborhood sports bar and grill. Most nights they have live music, and every Thursday night there's turtle racing.
1614 Forest Ave.
718-273-4480

To Shop

When the Staten Island Mall opened, most Islanders took their shopping there, and the few shops left in Port Richmond were forced to close. However, a few stores from Port Richmond's glory days still remain scattered along Port Richmond Avenue and in the Forest Avenue Shopping Town. As the area develops, more storefronts are likely to open up.

KoKo
This funky shop carries something for everyone, including incense, studded belts and Yankees hats. KoKo's music selection � hip-hop, reggae, techno, gospel or house � draws a crowd of all ages.
468 Port Richmond Ave.
718-448-1275

Melone Brothers
The aroma of baking bread often drifts over to Port Richmond Avenue and lures shoppers into this family owned bakery. They mostly sell wholesale, but many locals pop in to buy a loaf of their signature Italian bread.
17 Hooker Place
718-816-5111

Victor Scalici Florist
Good luck finding a fresher bouquet in any other city neighborhood. Seasonal flowers and fresh vegetables are grown year-round in the greenhouse at this local florist.
523 Port Richmond Ave.
718-981-2469

Sneakers Zone
From limited edition Nike kicks to good ol' Chucks, Sneakers Zone will fulfill any kind of sneaker fix.
1521 Forest Ave.
718-815-9471

To Do

With the exception of a few pretty local parks, Port Richmond has little to offer in the way of exciting activities. But the nearby Snug Harbor Cultural Center -- Staten Island's crown jewel -- is just a short drive away.

Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art
Housing both local and internationally recognized artists, the Newhouse Center has been Staten Island's premier spot for contemporary art since its opening in 1977. Past exhibitions have included work by George Boorujy, Elise Kaufman and the photographer Karen Ludlam.
1000 Richmond Terrace
718-425-3560

Staten Island Botanical Garden
The highlight of these gardens is the New York Chinese Scholar's Garden, modeled after traditional Chinese scholars' gardens dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Wander through a series of pavilions and covered walkways enclosing the garden, stopping to admire the Moon Embracing Pool and the Wandering-In-Bamboo Courtyard.
1000 Richmond Terrace
718-273-8200

The Staten Island Children's Museum
With plenty of interactive, hands-on exhibits, The Staten Island Children's Museum has enough to keep any kid occupied for a whole day. Children can play chess, learn animal body language or explore a pirate ship. Don't worry, big kids are allowed too.
1000 Richmond Terrace
718-273-2060

Real Estate

Port Richmond is filled with charming, older single-family dwellings, as well as renovated Victorian mansions. Here's a sampling of what it will cost you:

To Rent

$675 for a studio at Harrison Avenue at Port Richmond Avenue .
$950 for a third-floor, one bedroom apartment on Post Avenue.
$1,195 for a two-bedroom apartment at Cortlandt Street at Post Avenue.
$1,350 for a three-bedroom second floor apartment at Herberton Avenue.

To buy

These residences are on the market:

$289,000 for a two-bedroom, two-bath Colonial in need of a restoration on Castleton Avenue.
$339,000 for a three-bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath townhouse on Kirland Court.
$349,000 for 1, 216 square foot, three-bedroom, one-bath single-family home at 7 Alaska Street.
$499,000 for a four-bedroom, three-bath single-family home at 512 Clove Road.
$439,000 for a five-bedroom, two-and-half-bath single-family home on 186 Charles Avenue.

Contact: Rachel Gannon, 718-273-9200.

The Buzz

A few years ago, Mexican immigrants found their way to Port Richmond and began opening up shops on the long-shuttered Port Richmond Avenue. Stores have reopened, buildings are being torn down, and new ones are going up.

"The area is coming back, in a big way," says Selatin Velja, owner of Casa Milla. "It's not ever probably going to be what it used to be, but it's definitely improving." Michael Burk, owner of the legendary Denino's Pizzeria, agrees. "The neighborhood was a little shady years ago, but it's coming back."

Q&A with Selatin Velja
A Port Richmond resident since he was a tot, Selatin Velja now owns the popular Italian restaurant Casa Milla on Port Richmond Avenue.

How has Port Richmond changed since you moved here?

A lot of the old-time stuff has gone. There used to be theaters, they're all gone. Restaurants have closed, so have shops. In the late '70s all those shops went by the wayside. Once the mall opened, this area especially started dying.

What's still the same?
There's a lot of old timers still that have been here for generations. And there are still a handful of stores left on Port Richmond Avenue run by the original families. Sometimes people think it's a shady area now, but that's not the case. It's just old.

What do you like about the area?

I moved here when I was just a kid in 1980. I love the area. It's close to shopping, and there's easy access to express buses to Manhattan and easy access to New Jersey.

What kind of person would like living in Port Richmond?

Port Richmond is very diversified. It used to be a huge Italian neighborhood, but now there are Albanians and a huge Mexican population. I guess you would have to be a little laid back to live here -- it's not busy like Third Avenue in Brooklyn -- but there's something for everyone.

Do you have a favorite neighborhood spot?
Casa Milla! No, I'm kidding. Denino's. They have a limited menu, but their pizza is outrageous.

The Basics

Library
New York City Public Library
Port Richmond Branch
75 Bennett St.
718- 442-0158

Schools
P.S. 19 Curtis School; P.S. 20 Port Richmond School, P.S. 21 Margaret Emery Elm Park School; I.S. 51 Edwin Markham School; H.S. 445 Port Richmond High School

Transportation
Port Richmond has an extensive network of buses running to the Staten Island Ferry, and a few express buses running directly to Manhattan.

To the ferry:
From Manhattan: Take the 1,4,5,6, N or 6 trains to South Ferry. The ferry ride is free. From St. George terminal, hop on the S40, S44, S46, S48, S66, S67, S90, S94, S96 or S98.

Express Buses:
X10, X13, X14 and X30.

Police
120th Precinct
78 Richmond Terrace, St. George
718-876-8500

Crime Stats
The 120th Precinct is located on the North Shore of Staten Island and covers all of the neighborhoods north of the Staten Island.

This year, they've reported no murders or rapes, three robberies and five burglaries. For the same period last year, there were no murders, one rape, six robberies, and 13 burglaries.