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City Seeks Proposals to Revitalize Sandy Damaged Staten Island Beaches

By Nicholas Rizzi | November 26, 2013 2:00pm
 The city has put out requests for proposals to revitalize beachfronts and open spaces on the East and South shores of Staten Island damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
The city has put out requests for proposals to revitalize beachfronts and open spaces on the East and South shores of Staten Island damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
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DNAinfo/Ben Fractenberg

NEW DORP BEACH — With sections of Staten Island's shoreline still reeling more than a year after Hurricane Sandy, the city has asked for proposals to bring restaurants and recreation back to the coast.

The city's Economic Development Corporation and the Parks Department issued a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) on Friday to reactivate and revitalize the beachfront of the East and South shores of Staten Island that were walloped by the storm.

“This RFEI represents an important step in the continuing recovery of communities devastated by Hurricane Sandy, encouraging long-term community resiliency by providing jobs and spurring investment in these communities,” EDC President Kyle Kimball said in a statement.

“Activating public beachfronts and open spaces on Staten Island’s East and South Shores complements the resiliency efforts we have been engaged in since the storm by bringing cultural amenities and generating critical economic activity to help rebuild both the physical and economic infrastructure in these neighborhoods.”

The city will seek proposals to revitalize eight beaches and open spaces hit hardest by Sandy to help the communities recover economically and turn the areas into destinations for visitors, the Parks Department said.

Through the RFEI, the city will seek both temporary and permanent ideas for the spots that could bring restaurants, festivals, concerts and recreation facilities to the open spaces and beach fronts, the Parks Department said.

"We have always known that Staten Island's waterfront offered endless possibilities,"Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis said in a statement.

"Out of this terrible tragedy has come a unique opportunity to realize our beachfront's fullest potential."

The National Park Service will also include Miller Field, a park that it runs, in the eight spots and seek adaptive reuse for two historic air hangers on the site.

Responses for the RFEI can be submitted to the EDC between Dec. 20 to Jan. 21, with proposals planned to start opening in Summer 2014.