B.P. Molinaro & Mayor Bloomberg Break Ground on New Courthouse Facility

First new courthouse in 75 years will house a 660-car parking garage in St. George.

Just in time for the holidays, Borough President Molinaro and Mayor Bloomberg broke ground on Staten Island’s first new courthouse in 75 years. “My office has been attempting to build additional courthouses in this area since Guy Molinari became Borough President in 1990,” said Molinaro. “Our appeals continually fell on deaf ears. It took Mayor Bloomberg to once again understand the plight of Staten Island’s people and bring it to fruition.” The five-story facility at the former St. George municipal parking lot will house Supreme Court, Criminal Court and Jury Assembly, as well as a 660-car parking garage, and should be completed by 2012.

BP Molinaro Calls for Recreation, Wind Farm, & Roads at Fresh Kills

Borough President James P. Molinaro testified at a public hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Fresh Kills on Thursday, September 4th and called for the flaws in the EIS to be fixed.

He noted the many failures of the document, and demanded that the needs and wants of Staten Islanders be taken into account. Most significantly, the Draft EIS fails in the following areas:

It does not provide for an appropriate amount of active recreation areas in the new park, something that Staten Islanders have been demanding for years.

It ignores the many benefits of wind power, as well as the study that has already been conducted by the Borough President’s Office regarding the placement of a wind farm at Fresh Kills. Further, it goes on to make baseless assumptions about the negative effects of a wind farm, without any supporting evidence for its claims.

It makes no mention of the enormous positive impact that opening the roads that run through Fresh Kills would have not only on the environment, but also on the quality of life of Staten Islanders. Instead of using Borough President Molinaro’s plan which would open the existing roads within the next 3-4 years, the Draft EIS proposes building new roads which would not be completely opened until the year 2036.

A Wind Farm on Staten Island? NYC's Only Viable Site is Fresh Kills

Borough President Molinaro urges Staten Islanders to contact Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Paterson and ask them to support Wind Power and the Opening of the Existing Roads at Fresh Kills.

Wind Power Support: One of the most important steps New York City can take in advancing its environmental policy and reducing our reliance on foreign oil is the establishment of a wind farm at Fresh Kills. To learn more:

Read Earth Day Press Release

Read PickensPlan Press Release

Visit PickensPlan.com

Landfill Roads Support: Roads already exist in Fresh Kills. Borough President Molinaro and borough engineers believe these routes offer the best opportunity for a road system that could connect Richmond Avenue with the West Shore Expressway. This will help motorists avoid heavy congestion points along both Arthur Kill Road and Victory Boulevard.

You have a very brief opportunity to voice your opinion. Please support these important objectives for Staten Island. Send a letter to Mayor Bloomberg at the following address/fax number or send an email:

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
FAX (212) 788-2460

Sample letter to Support Landfill Roads

Send an email to Mayor Bloomberg

Send an email to Governor Paterson

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Staten Island's New Tourism Video

Borough President Molinaro unveils the Staten Island Attractions video at the Staten Island Ferry's Whitehall Terminal in Manhattan.

Staten Island's many cultural attractions, as well as its parks and recreational opportunities are featured in the 9 minute video, which is designed to attract both tourists and residents alike. As passengers wait to board the Staten Island bound ferry, they can learn about the attractions that can be reached by bus and those that are within walking distance of the St. George Ferry Terminal. The video will be played on a new 65" high definition video monitor, mounted above the information booth in the passenger waiting area.

The video was produced by the Borough President's Office and sponsored by the NYC & Co. Foundation, the Richmond County Savings Foundation, and SINY, Inc. Narration for the video was provided by Ken Dashow, radio personality from New York's Q104.3 fm. The video will run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

View STATEN ISLAND: A World Beyond the Ferry

State of the Borough Address 2008

B.P. Molinaro is surrounded by children as he concludes his 2008 State of the Borough Address with the message "Children are our Future".

Borough President James P. Molinaro delivered the 2008 State of the Borough Address on Wednesday, January 23, 2008 in the Center for the Arts at the College of Staten Island.

He identified plans to improve traffic conditions and mass transit, promote tourism, and boost Staten Island's jobs and economic activity. The 2008 State of the Borough Address can be viewed on Time Warner Cable On Demand, Channel 1111.

View the Video's that were Presented at the 2008 State of the Borough:

Opening Windmills Video

Staten Island Attractions Video

Ferry Fish Tanks Video

Staten Island Railroad Video