Stapleton Houses
The Stapleton Houses are a housing project in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City. The project consists of six 8-story buildings with 693 apartment units. It covers and is bordered by Tompkins Avenue, and Broad, Hill, Warren and Gordon Streets. It is owned and managed by New [York City Housing Authority] and is the largest NYCHA development in Staten Island.
Development
The Stapleton Houses, which began construction in 1959, were designed by architects Ballard, Todd & Snibbe. Each building was designed to be long and narrow and with outdoor galleries to remove interior corridors. Facilities on the site include three playgrounds, lounge, meeting rooms, childcare center and a covered garden terrace. The development was completed on May 31, 1962.In the 1980s, the development saw the rise of the crack epidemic, and with that a rise in crime. Crime declined in the 1990s, but violence did not and the houses are now home to a large array of security cameras.
Notable residents
- 9th Prince, rapper of Killarmy
- Ghostface Killah, rapper of the Wu-Tang Clan
- RZA, rapper and leader of the Wu-Tang Clan
- Kenny Washington, jazz drummer
- Mack Wilds, R&B/Hip-Hop singer and actor
- Ronell Wilson, convicted of the 2003 murder of two undercover New York City police officers
- Shyheim, rapper.