City seeks bids for Staten Island center rehab.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), on behalf of the City issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development and operation of a restaurant/cafe that will be part of the new National Lighthouse Center and Museum in Staten Island.

The six buildings on the 6.3 acres of the former U.S. Lighthouse Service Depot immediately south of the St. George Ferry Terminal will be restored to create the new museum center that will include exhibit space, administration offices, archives and multimedia resources.

The proposed restaurant will be located in Building 11, a historic, one-story brick and steel pavilion-style building with a number of large windows and exquisite views of Manhattan. Built in 1912, the building formerly housed the Lighthouse Depot machine shop. The 2,600-square-foot structure has the capacity to seat 150 to 200 persons. It also has 1,100 square feet of adjacent space for outdoor seating or an accessory structure, such as a greenhouse. Parking is available in both an adjacent municipal lot and a proposed 65-space lot to be built on the site by EDC.

"This is an excellent time to pursue business opportunities in Staten Island," said EDC president Michael G. Carey. "Although the St. George area has long been a hub for Staten Island activity, the Lighthouse Museum and other high-profile waterfront projects in the offing will transform the area into a major tourist destination."

Other projects underway in St. George include:

* A new minor league baseball stadium for the Staten Island Yankees currently under construction with completion expected in 2001;

* rehabilitation of the St. George Ferry Terminal, to be completed 2003; and

* redevelopment of the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences.

The operator of the restaurant will have the exclusive rights to food and beverage sales at the Lighthouse Museum when it opens in 2002. The site will be available for a 10-year lease with an option for one five-year renewal. The RFP calls for a family-style restaurant that caters to all ages for both dining and take-out orders. Patronage for the restaurant will come from the 300,000 to 500,000 anticipated annual museum visitors, 60,000 daily ferry commuters, employees from the St. George business district and civic center, and the surrounding mixed-use residential and retail neighborhood.

By the end of 2001, EDC will complete master tenant work on Building 11 that will include building stabilization, masonry, window and roof repairs, as well as installing plumbing and electricity. The selected restaurant operator will be responsible for tenant fit-out work-

Staten Island Ferry passengers will be able to enter the Museum Center from the recently constructed lighthouse stair tower at the terminal which leads to an esplanade and plaza that connects to the Bay Street Landing esplanade to the south. The esplanade is part of an overall plan to create a public esplanade along the entire North Shore waterfront. The landscaped plaza provides seating for approximately 70 people with 26 tables.

There will be an informational meeting about the site on Wednesday, August 23.