Grasmere Staten Island Neighborhood Profile

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 In 1788, the towns of Northfield, Southfield, Westfield, and Castleton were developed on Staten Island.  These towns encompassed the whole of Staten Island and were comprised of many small villages.  In the town of Southfield, which was actually made up of the eastern villages of Staten Island, there was the village of Concord.  During the nineteenth century, a community now known as Grasmere was developed by a Sir Roderick Cameron.

It is often misconstrued that Sir Roderick Cameron had named it after his birthplace, the lovely village of Grasmere that is a part of England's Lake District.  However, Sir Cameron was born in Canada.  The only explanation I can give is this:  Roderick Cameron was a wealthy businessman, as he co-founded R.W. Cameron and Company shipping.  In 1883, he was knighted by the Queen and traveled much.  In his travels, he must have gone to the Lake District.  The Staten Island neighborhood that he had named during the middle of the nineteenth century had, at the time, been populated by many lakes and must have reminded him of England's Grasmere.

During the 1800s, the harvesting of ice on Staten Island's lakes and ponds was a very profitable business.  At this time, a Philip Brady acquired a portion of the land in what is now Grasmere.  It is not certain whether Brady owned the land before Sir Roderick Cameron came to the area, or if Sir Cameron had sold him, a portion of the land, which included a very large swamp.  Nevertheless, a dam was placed on the nearby swamp, and the swamp was converted into a pond.  Philip Brady, in turn, began to harvest ice on the pond that is now known as Brady's Pond.

Brady's Pond is New York City's only freshwater pond that enables visitors to swim in it.  The park in which the pond is located, which also bears the same name, is surrounded by the streets of Hylan Boulevard to the east and Narrows Road South to the north, as well as the pond itself, to the west.  People who do not reside in the neighborhood of Grasmere may access the park by Manorville Court, which almost juts into the pond, underneath the greenery of the park.

To the south of Brady's Pond, you have the smaller Cameron Pond.  The pond is surrounded by a gated community and is owned, along with Brady's Pond, by the Cameron Lake Club.  This privately-owned club was established in 1930.  Not only must the members of the club live in Staten Island, they must live within a certain distance of the pond.  If you are one of the more fortunate residents who have "lake rights," you will have access to a sand beach, as well as a club house and row boats.  Being that Brady's Pond is also owned by the Cameron Lake Club, the public may not use non-motorized boats in the pond unless they have these "lake rights."

Today, Grasmere is one of Staten Island is a pristine community, not to mention the neighborhood enjoys one of the best commutes to Manhattan and Brooklyn due to its proximity to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Home prices in Grasmere are generally more expensive and there are pockets within the community that can enter  the luxury home segment. Home styles come in many shapes, sizes and ages; from classic Tudor Style homes and cottages to contemporary center hall colonials, broadside and traditional ranch homes. While there is limited new construction in Grasmere, some do exist.  There are also some condominium complexes in Grasmere, including the Hills at Grasmere

When it comes to getting around, residents of Grasmere are not limited.  First of all, they have the Grasmere Station of the Staten Island Railway, which is located at Clove Road and Giles Place.  Secondly,  the Staten Island Expressway is right above the community.  Third of all, there are a number of local and express buses that pass through the neighborhood.

On Clove Road, you have the local s53, which goes to Port Richmond or Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.  On Richmond Road, you have the s74, which goes to the St. George Ferry Terminal and the Bricktown Mall; the s78, which also goes to the St. George Ferry Terminal, as well as to Oakwood; and the x15 express bus, which takes the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Lower Manhattan.  In addition to these, there are many other buses that travel along Hylan Boulevard.  The local buses here are the s78, which goes to the St. George Ferry Terminal and the Bricktown Mall, and the s79, which goes to the Staten Island Mall and to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.  The express buses that take the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Midtown Manhattan are the x1, the x2, and the x9.  There is also the x3, which takes the same bridge into Lower Manhattan.

Students living in the community of Grasmere will, of course, be zoned for certain schools. However, there are many schools for children to attend in the vicinity.  The nearest public schools are P.S. 48, at 1055 Targee Street; Concord High School, at 109 Rhine Avenue; and the Michael J. Petrides School, at 715 Ocean Terrace.  There are a number of Catholic schools in the area, which include the Academy of St. Dorothy, at 1305 Hylan Boulevard; the St. Sylvester School, at 884 Targee Street; St. Joseph's Parochial School, at 139 St. Mary's Avenue; the Holy Rosary School, at 100 Jerome Avenue; St. Joseph Hill Academy High School, at 850 Hylan Boulevard; and St. John Villa Academy, at 25 Landis Avenue.  Other private schools in the area include the Trinity Lutheran School, at 309 St. Paul's Avenue, and the Staten Island Academy, at 715 Todt Hill Road. Schools in this report may or may not those area homes are zoned for and should only be used as a point of reference.  Check with your local school board or school administration for specific zoning and/or eligibility.