I live around the corner from the house that you are planning to buy and perhaps we might be neighbors? I too am a former Manhanttanite/Brooklynite transplant. I moved to Staten Island about 7 years ago and the quest for bigger more affordable space in NYC brought me here, apart from the fact that I also adore old houses which historic St. George offers at bargain prices considering its close proximity to the city and water views to hoot about. I don't have kids and so the school system does not concern me. I have mixed feelings about living in Staten Island and the cultural scene is relatively quiet and mild although it is percolating with various mix of people moving into the neighborhood. However, since it is so close to Manhattan/Bklyn and is an easy commute by ferry or car, I don't feel that isolated and really love being inside my own spacious home which is my sanctuary away from the madness of the city. Personally, parts of Bklyn is really depressing and scary and in comparison, I find Staten Island prettier, safer, greener and it is a place that offers many pleasant surprises.

Posted by: schin10301 at December 30, 2008 8:40 PM in response to st. george staten island

5 yrs ago we left Brooklyn. We moved all my family to Staten Island to have more open space, fresh air but it was nightmare. My kids came home from school crying punched and knocked down by other kids. Talk to police or school adm does nothing. Very racist white kids with baggy pants falling off there. Hate asians. Afro american spanish kids were nice good but white kids were big problems. We get the hell out of there and moved back to Brooklyn last year.

Posted by: KondoKong at January 12, 2009 9:30 AM in response to st. george staten island

I feel for you and you children Mr. Kondo.

As a Hispanic law student, the racism I face is generally more of the passive aggressive sort. I can't quite understand it either because I try to be friendly to white people. As a matter of fact, I dated a few white women.

Yeah, I get smug looks and yuppies mutter under their breath when I pass by. Do you think it is because of inter-racial dating? That is so infair!!!

By the way, my tastes are starting to change. Sarah Palin might not be so smart, but I find myself turned on more and more to older women since the election.

Anyway.....good luck!!!

Posted by: Demander of Respect at January 12, 2009 6:15 PM in response to st. george staten island

It's too bad about some of the negative comments on here. My family and I moved to SI from too pricey Williamsburg about 7 years ago. We are renovating a victorian rowhouse in Stapleton and previously lived in St George. It is a great community of preservationists and artists. And don't let people scare you about safety. It's fairly tame. fyi there is a FANTASTIC new pre-k through 5th grade public school on St Pauls ave and there is a K-8 charter school in the works. Both schools are the result of massive community effort. It's a great place. Times are changing and you found a beautiful house that will be a great investment. Welcome to the neighborhood!

Posted by: sirowhouse at January 21, 2009 10:35 PM in response to st. george staten island

What is the deal with Demander? A law student with such poor grammar exploring a victim complex triggered by facts? Is that for real? Park Hill is a seriously dangerous community in crisis where those who live there talk about wanting to 'back themselves in and out of the building' quickly out of fear of turning their backs. And it's a very real factor in determining whether you want to move into a neighborhood nearby.

I love St. George but people are right to be concerned about the schools. The local school is the worst in Staten Island. At the end of every year, parents are sent a letter that allows them to request a transfer because the school is doing so poorly.
There is a new school for select grades but we opted for home schooling. My experience with elementary public schools in New York has been a nightmare and all of the mothers/teachers I have spoken with feel the same.

Folks either feel trapped or are actively seeking another school or method, but I have not met anyone who is satisfied. Our local school has a high concentration of gang connected parents and that translates into very young children using a vocabulary and posturing that is inappropriate/violent/disturbing/damaging. (For example, my six year old came home from the local school one day talking about a child in his class who wanted to be a pimp. We have since moved him out of the school as that was only one incident among many that happened in a very short time.)

While twenty-something friends that live here with no children are very much enjoying themselves, when you have children in a local school you have a condensed experience of your community through the vulnerable view of a child. If your community is thriving then your child will come home with lots of valuable *new* perspectives, and if your community is in crisis-as many are these days- your child may bring home a story of a child who wants to be a pimp. (Or as explained by my 6yo, "A person who sells women's butts for a living.")

On the other hand, we are very involved in the community and love the neighborhood experience in St. George. We know everyone on our block, in all the local shops, and at the neighborhood centers. It is not easy to find a community with the sense of coming together I feel we have. Between that and the existing structural potential of St. George as a waterfront community, we have a lot of hope for the direction things are going here.

But if I had known how serious the school issue was we may not have moved here when we did, and I definitely would not have made the mistake of enrolling my son in the local school for any length of time.

Posted by: Kachoo at February 26, 2009 3:23 AM in response to st. george staten island

Hi everyone. Thanks for the comments. Just wanted to let you all know that I bought the house and it is better than I had expected. My neighbors were all inviting and everyone came to see me when I moved in. I didnt know about the museums and gallerys the neighborhood kept and was surprised when I saw them. There are so many nooks and crannies that I am finding around the area and am enjoying the city and verrazanno views. The resturants and bars, although we need more, are great, and the cafes and shops are pretty cool. The neighborhood has a feel all to itself and is very tight knit. I hear rumours of a charter school in the works and other things like a food coop and such that are also needed. I guess that I do have to change my name, not WilliamsburghII, instead maybe StGeorgeII, but I still have the coop and it still sucks, so my name I guess it will remain MyCoopSucks.

Posted by: MyCoopSucks at May 14, 2009 9:58 AM in response to st. george staten island