Charleston, Staten Island
Encyclopedia
Charleston is the name of a neighborhood, or section, of New York City
's borough of Staten Island. It is located on the island's South Shore
, with Tottenville to the south, Pleasant Plains
to the East, Rossville
to the north, and the Arthur Kill to the west.
Many locals may still remember Charleston as Kreischerville. With the arrival of Balthasar Kreischer (1813–1886), a Bavarian immigrant and founder of the Kreischer Brick Manufactory, the area became known as Kreischerville as his business success imparted growth to the surrounding area. Balthasar Kreischer had three mansions built on Kreischer Hill, one of which stands to this day and is designated a historical landmark. The remaining Kreischer House
at 4500 Arthur Kill Road at the intersection of Kreischer Avenue, was renovated by the Staten Island Land Development LLC. The mansion has a certificate of occupancy for a 70-seat restaurant that will operate at night. The factory, built in 1854, was destroyed by fire in 1877 and rebuilt. The factory finally shut its doors in 1927.
The name Charleston seems to have arisen during World War I
, when anti-German sentiment flourished as the United States entered the war. "Charleston" appears to have been chosen so as to name the village after Charles Kreischer, one of Balthasar Kreischer's sons.
Charleston once had its own United States Post Office branch, and mail sent there bore the postal code "Staten Island 13, New York". The post office, located at 28 Androvette Street, was closed in 1949. While neighborhoods on Staten Island do not have universally agreed-upon boundaries, most observers today reckon Charleston as consisting of a triangle-shaped territory enclosed by Bloomingdale Road, the Richmond Parkway, and the Arthur Kill
; this gives Charleston a slightly larger area than that which the former post office served—and by the current prevailing definition Charleston includes Sandy Ground, settled in 1833 by African Americans who had achieved freedom from slavery
, most of whom came to the area from Maryland
; remnants of the original settlement still exist.
and third Home Depot, among many other stores. Also, a second shopping center along Veterans Road West has opened hosting an Ethan Allen franchise and a variety of other stores.
The Tides at Charleston, an adult community development of approximately 120 units broke ground in Summer 2007, with units available for occupancy as of early 2008.http://www.thetidesatcharleston.com/
Currently, an outlet mall, the first ever in New York City, is in the early stages of construction on the neighborhood's waterfront. It is to be called the Waterfront Commons, and is slated for completion in 2010.
A Kresicherville Active Adult community is slated to cost $25 million dollars and will preserve the Kreischer mansion as a central landmark for the development.
Charleston is one of the most remote and sparsely populated areas on Staten Island, and for that matter, within all of New York City. In addition to the Kreischer mansion and Sandy Ground, the neighborhood is also home to the Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve
, and the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility
, a medium-security state prison which was originally opened as a residential drug rehabilitation center. Even today many Charleston residents still keep horses on their property, and it is not unusual for a motorist driving along Sharrotts Road, one of the community's principal thoroughfares, to be stopped by a horse crossing the road.
The Charleston bus depot, off Arthur Kill Road, opened in January 2011. Despite being so close to the depot, Charleston is served by only one local bus line-the S74/S84.
, Charleston was nonetheless home to two crime-related figures, one a perpetrator and the other a victim, as "thrill killer" Richard Biegenwald (who committed a 1958 murder and was subsequently convicted of another killing that took place in Asbury Park, New Jersey
in 1983) was born and raised there; and in 1990, the neighborhood attracted more media attention when an anti-gay hate crime
was committed there: James Zappalorti
, a 45-year-old disabled veteran of the Vietnam War
, was stabbed to death by two assailants, one of whom also resided in Charleston at the time. The Zappalorti murder sparked renewed calls for New York State to adopt enhanced penalties for crimes motivated by bias.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's borough of Staten Island. It is located on the island's South Shore
South Shore, Staten Island
The South Shore is a geographical term applied to the area in the New York City borough of Staten Island, south and east of the island's ridge of hills along the waterfront and adjacent areas from the Narrows to the mouth of the Arthur Kill, although many observers prefer to restrict its scope to...
, with Tottenville to the south, Pleasant Plains
Pleasant Plains, Staten Island
Pleasant Plains is a neighborhood located on Staten Island, one of the five boroughs of New York City, New York, the most populous city in the United States....
to the East, Rossville
Rossville, Staten Island
Rossville is the name of a neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, located to the west of Prince's Bay, on the island's South Shore.-Early History of the Area:...
to the north, and the Arthur Kill to the west.
History
Charleston, once a small village settled by the Androvette family in 1699, bore their name as Androvetteville or Androvettetown through the 18th century. The Androvettes engaged in farming and in approximately 1850, eight of the twenty-nine structures in the village belonged to the Androvette family.Many locals may still remember Charleston as Kreischerville. With the arrival of Balthasar Kreischer (1813–1886), a Bavarian immigrant and founder of the Kreischer Brick Manufactory, the area became known as Kreischerville as his business success imparted growth to the surrounding area. Balthasar Kreischer had three mansions built on Kreischer Hill, one of which stands to this day and is designated a historical landmark. The remaining Kreischer House
Kreischer House
Kreischer House is a historic home located at Charleston, Staten Island, New York. It was built originally about 1885 and is a large, asymmetrically massed -story, wood-frame house in the Late Victorian style...
at 4500 Arthur Kill Road at the intersection of Kreischer Avenue, was renovated by the Staten Island Land Development LLC. The mansion has a certificate of occupancy for a 70-seat restaurant that will operate at night. The factory, built in 1854, was destroyed by fire in 1877 and rebuilt. The factory finally shut its doors in 1927.
The name Charleston seems to have arisen during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when anti-German sentiment flourished as the United States entered the war. "Charleston" appears to have been chosen so as to name the village after Charles Kreischer, one of Balthasar Kreischer's sons.
Charleston once had its own United States Post Office branch, and mail sent there bore the postal code "Staten Island 13, New York". The post office, located at 28 Androvette Street, was closed in 1949. While neighborhoods on Staten Island do not have universally agreed-upon boundaries, most observers today reckon Charleston as consisting of a triangle-shaped territory enclosed by Bloomingdale Road, the Richmond Parkway, and the Arthur Kill
Arthur Kill
The Arthur Kill is a tidal strait separating Staten Island, New York from mainland New Jersey, USA, and a major navigational channel of the Port of New York and New Jersey. Kill is from the Middle Dutch word kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel"...
; this gives Charleston a slightly larger area than that which the former post office served—and by the current prevailing definition Charleston includes Sandy Ground, settled in 1833 by African Americans who had achieved freedom from slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, most of whom came to the area from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
; remnants of the original settlement still exist.
Development
Recent development in the area has spawned a new shopping corridor along Veterans Road West, including Staten Island's first and only TargetTarget Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
and third Home Depot, among many other stores. Also, a second shopping center along Veterans Road West has opened hosting an Ethan Allen franchise and a variety of other stores.
The Tides at Charleston, an adult community development of approximately 120 units broke ground in Summer 2007, with units available for occupancy as of early 2008.http://www.thetidesatcharleston.com/
Currently, an outlet mall, the first ever in New York City, is in the early stages of construction on the neighborhood's waterfront. It is to be called the Waterfront Commons, and is slated for completion in 2010.
A Kresicherville Active Adult community is slated to cost $25 million dollars and will preserve the Kreischer mansion as a central landmark for the development.
Charleston is one of the most remote and sparsely populated areas on Staten Island, and for that matter, within all of New York City. In addition to the Kreischer mansion and Sandy Ground, the neighborhood is also home to the Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve is state park of the U.S. state of New York, located near the southwestern shore of Staten Island. It is the only state park located on Staten Island....
, and the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility
Arthur Kill Correctional Facility
Arthur Kill Correctional Facility is a medium security correctional facility opened in 1976 operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services. Arthur Kill is located in New York City in the Borough of Staten Island...
, a medium-security state prison which was originally opened as a residential drug rehabilitation center. Even today many Charleston residents still keep horses on their property, and it is not unusual for a motorist driving along Sharrotts Road, one of the community's principal thoroughfares, to be stopped by a horse crossing the road.
The Charleston bus depot, off Arthur Kill Road, opened in January 2011. Despite being so close to the depot, Charleston is served by only one local bus line-the S74/S84.
Crime
Despite having a very low crime rate along with the rest of the South ShoreSouth Shore, Staten Island
The South Shore is a geographical term applied to the area in the New York City borough of Staten Island, south and east of the island's ridge of hills along the waterfront and adjacent areas from the Narrows to the mouth of the Arthur Kill, although many observers prefer to restrict its scope to...
, Charleston was nonetheless home to two crime-related figures, one a perpetrator and the other a victim, as "thrill killer" Richard Biegenwald (who committed a 1958 murder and was subsequently convicted of another killing that took place in Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
in 1983) was born and raised there; and in 1990, the neighborhood attracted more media attention when an anti-gay hate crime
Hate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
was committed there: James Zappalorti
James Zappalorti
James Patrick Zappalorti , a disabled veteran of the Vietnam War, was the victim of a highly-publicized, fatal gay-bashing attack on Staten Island, New York.- Biography :...
, a 45-year-old disabled veteran of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, was stabbed to death by two assailants, one of whom also resided in Charleston at the time. The Zappalorti murder sparked renewed calls for New York State to adopt enhanced penalties for crimes motivated by bias.