Midland Beach

 

Midland Beach is a mid-island shoreside community with a history of resorts and attractions. To the north lies the South Beach neighborhood, to the west Grant City, and to the south lies New Dorp Beach. Its eastern neighbor is the Lower New York Bay.

 

Housing in Midland Beach is quite diverse. It is known for its bungalows, originally little vacation homes which are now used for year-round residences. This has become a development hot spot in recent years due to the nearby Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and the investment activity surrounding it. You can find everything from large two-family homes to modern new construction.

 

In the 1800’s, Midland Beach was a resort destination. In fact, it was one of the top resort areas in New York for about a half century. Midland Beach opened to the public in 1896 when the South Beach stop was added to the Staten Island Railway. Neighboring South Beach offered the Happyland Amusement Park.

 

Around the turn of the century, Midland Beach was a hopping place to be! The beach could be accessed by the Grant City trolley or by ferries that ran from Manhattan and Newark. Hotels dotted the shoreline. Bandstands kept the music playing outside while the casino brought people in from far and wide. Lining the Staten Island beaches was a boardwalk and fishing pier. Outdoor movies would be shown on a projector, a tradition that has been revived through the NYC Parks Summer Movie Series.

 

Between 1916 and 1929, a number of fires broke out along the beach which destroyed four hotels, 15, and much of the pier and boardwalk. This prevented boats from docking at the pier and led to Midland Beach’s heavy decline as a resort center. The city tried to bring people back by constructing the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk in 1935. The FDR Boardwalk is still utilized today. Beachgoers today have renewed interest in Midland Beach from an environmental standpoint, enjoying one of New York City’s nicest shorelines.

 

What can you do on Midland Beach? Activities today include fishing on the Ocean Breeze Fishing Pier, biking, and enjoying concessions on the boardwalk. Beachside restaurants Juicy Lucy and The South Fin Grill are a huge draw for the area.

 

But it’s not just a beach- there’s more to the neighborhood! This is a great area for parks. Residents of all ages can enjoy Miller Field, Midland Beach Playground, Midland Field and Park, and Ocean Breeze Park with its completely modern indoor athletic complex. Hylan Boulevard forms the western border of the neighborhood, which makes shopping, dining, and recreation easy. Staten Island University Hospital is just north of the neighborhood boundaries.

 

It also makes getting around the island easy for drivers and public commuters. Hylan offers express bus lines SIM1, SIM1C, SIM7, SIM10, SIM11. the local s78, and select s79. Bus routes on Midland Avenue and Father Capodanno Boulevard include the s51, s81, SIM5, SIM6, and SIM9. Riders on the SIRR have two choices! The train stops along Midland Beach at Grant City and Jefferson Avenue.

 

As most Staten Islanders get around by car, you’d be glad to know that I-278 and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Brooklyn are just minutes away, while Hylan Boulevard leads to the north or south.

 

Midland Beach has a good school system too. Living here, your child would likely be served by PS 38, PS 52, IS 2, and New Dorp High School. Looking for a house of worship? Oasis Christian Center, St. Margaret Mary’s RC Church, and Iglesia Pentacostal Hermanos are all located here.