Grasmere, Staten Island

Grasmere is a community in Staten Island that is bounded to the north by the Staten Island Expressway and neighbor to Emerson Hill. A major attraction in the area is the 15-acre Brady’s Pond. This freshwater pond is great for swimming and equipped with lifeguards, rowboats, and sandy beach. Swans glide along the surface accompanied by a backdrop of greenery and large houses. Some of the luxury homes on Brady’s Pond exceed $1 million.

Hylan Boulevard, at Grasmere’s southern and eastern borders, is the closest thing to a commercial thoroughfare, with several bakeries, restaurants and markets evoking the area’s Italian roots.

Grasmere is a stop on the Staten Island Railway, with a 10-minute ride to St. George, the stop closest to the ferry. The Staten Island Expressway at Grasmere’s northern border leads into the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Buses also service the area.

Elementary schools include the William C. Wilcox School, Public School 48, on Targee Street, which teaches kindergarten through Grade 5. One middle school option is the Michael J. Petrides School, on Ocean Terrace near Milford Avenue, teaching kindergarten through Grade 12 and accommodating special-education students. The high school is Concord High School and fairs pretty well on overall test scores.