Accidents rarely happen by chance; they are almost always caused by negligence. If you have suffered serious personal injuries due to someone else’s carelessness in Staten Island, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. The experienced personal injury attorneys at The Cakani Law Firm are ready to help you now. Call us today at 212-962-0500.
Staten Island, New York, covers approximately 59 square miles at the southern tip of New York City, making it the smallest of the five boroughs. Separated from the rest of the city by water, Staten Island remained sparsely populated for nearly two centuries. In 1964, the completion of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connected Staten Island to Brooklyn, located just half a mile away. By 1970, the island’s population had doubled, and 2000 Census data showed more than 443,000 residents.
Today, Staten Island features various transportation routes. The Arthur Kill Greenway connects to the state of New Jersey. The Staten Island Ferry offers a scenic, approximately 25-minute ride toward the lights of Manhattan, crossing New York Harbor and passing the Statue of Liberty.
Also known as Richmond County, Staten Island has a long history of protests and tensions with the New York City government. When plans for the Richmond Parkway (also known as the Korean Veterans Parkway) began, the original route cut through pristine hills and ecologically valuable wetlands. Thanks to citizen protests, the highway now runs along the Staten Island Greenbelt, skirting the untouched natural beauty of the island’s interior. The Greenbelt encompasses approximately 2,800 acres of parks and protected natural areas—one of the largest remaining natural zones for New York residents. It is home to the Davis Wildlife Refuge, the first of its kind in the city and the site of one of the earliest Audubon Centers. Staten Island residents were unable to prevent New York City from using the island’s western side as a landfill, despite several attempts to secede from the city. The Fresh Kills Landfill, established in 1948, grew to become one of the largest dumps in the world. By 2001, its height exceeded that of the Statue of Liberty. That same year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered its closure; however, following the attacks on the World Trade Center, the site was temporarily reopened to receive debris. Plans to reclaim the site and transform it into a landscaped park began in 2003. Staten Island was one of the communities hardest hit by the September 11 attacks, losing nearly 270 residents. The Staten Island September 11 Memorial honors the memory of those who lost their lives on that tragic day.
Staten Island, New York, is home to numerous historic sites, some dating back to the Revolutionary War. The Conference House was the site of a 1776 peace conference that followed the presentation of the Declaration of Independence to the British. Fort Wadsworth, one of the oldest military forts in the United States, is also located here. The Sandy Ground Historical Museum pays tribute to the first community of freed slaves in the United States. The Snug Harbor Cultural Center invites history enthusiasts to tour its 26 carefully preserved historic buildings.
Staten Island offers a wide variety of cultural activities. The College of Staten Island houses the CSI Center for the Arts—featuring five theaters on a single campus—where ballet, opera, orchestral music, and live theater performances take place. Staten Island’s charming downtown area includes the historic, restored St. George Theatre, which first opened in 1929. The Staten Island Zoo and the Staten Island Botanical Garden offer visitors the chance to see rare animal and plant species. Staten Island, New York, remains one of the city’s most urban boroughs. Its proud and determined residents actively work to protect and preserve the natural beauty of their island. With beaches, fishing piers, inland lakes and ponds, and an extraordinary amount of protected parkland, Staten Island offers its inhabitants a unique place to live within the boundaries of New York City.
