SIUH Community Park: A Hub for Baseball and Community on Staten Island

Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, also known as SIUH Community Park, stands as a prominent landmark on the northeastern tip of Staten Island in New York City. Formerly known as Richmond County Bank Ballpark, this versatile venue has evolved from a professional baseball stadium to a dynamic center for community engagement, hosting a wide array of events beyond the sport.

From Rail Yards to Ballpark: A Historical Overview

The site of SIUH Community Park, overlooking the New York Harbor in St. George, has a rich history. Before the ballpark, the location was home to the B&O Railroad rail yards. The current stadium parking lot was the site of Major League Baseball in the 1880s. The New York Metropolitans of the American Association played at the St. George Cricket Grounds.

The stadium's construction was part of a deal brokered by then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani with the New York Yankees and New York Mets. Due to Major League Baseball territory rules, the Yankees and Mets have veto power over each other (and any other Major League Baseball franchise), if they want to bring an affiliated minor-league team into the New York City metropolitan area. With help (and public money) from the mayor, both teams agreed to allow each other to have a minor-league team in the city in return for new stadiums.

A Home for Baseball: From the Yankees to the FerryHawks

From 2001 to 2020, the stadium was home to the Staten Island Yankees, a minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George opened on June 24, 2001, serving as the home venue for the Staten Island Yankees of the New York-Penn League, the short-season Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The inaugural game drew 6,854 spectators, with first baseman Aaron Rifkin hitting the ballpark's first home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The era concluded with Major League Baseball's minor league reorganization in November 2020, when the New York Yankees terminated their affiliation, leading to the team's cessation of operations. In 2021, after the entire 2020 campaign was lost to the Coronavirus pandemic, MLB's Minor League Reorganization eliminated the Staten Island Yankees and most other New York-Pennsylvania League teams.

In 2022, the ballpark regained professional baseball with the arrival of the Staten Island FerryHawks, an expansion team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. The FerryHawks are an Atlantic League expansion team for this season. The FerryHawks took on the Lexington Legends from Kentucky. They will play the next 11 games from home. The FerryHawks won 4-1 to the Lexington Legends, marking the first win for the team.

Design and Architecture: A Nod to the Waterfront

SIUH Community Park features a design inspired by the adjacent St. George Ferry Terminal, incorporating elements such as maritime motifs and structural forms that evoke the terminal's aesthetic to integrate the stadium with its waterfront surroundings. The original architecture, completed in 2001, was led by Manhattan-based Jack L. Gordon Architects.

The layout orients the field toward Upper New York Bay, positioning the grandstand behind home plate with a steep seating pitch to optimize sightlines over players and toward the Manhattan skyline and harbor, enhancing the spectator experience with unobstructed water views from most seats. This asymmetrical arrangement includes a main concourse wrapping around the infield, with entry points at the main gate near the ferry terminal and secondary access via right field, facilitating efficient crowd flow while maintaining proximity to public transit.

Key architectural elements include a prominent scoreboard in left-center field displaying a replica of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, symbolizing local geography and serving as a focal point within the park's visual hierarchy. The design prioritizes functionality for baseball operations, with enclosed clubhouses, dugouts aligned along the baselines, and support facilities integrated beneath the stands to minimize footprint expansion on the limited site. Sails at each entrance are a reference to the Staten Island Ferry boats, which frequently pass nearby, and the St. George Ferry Terminal, which is about 0.33 miles (0.53 km) away.

RCB Ballpark has 18 regular-sized luxury suites along with a 60-person Skyline Suite with one of the best views of the harbor. A replica of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is located on top of the main scoreboard, which formerly contained the letters "RC" attached to the front which was done to resemble the logo of the Richmond County branch of the New York Community Bank, the former of which formerly was the sponsor of the park. The letters were removed in 2022.

Community Engagement and Events

Beyond baseball, SIUH Community Park serves as a versatile venue for a variety of community events, concerts, and festivals. The stadium will not only serve athletes but be used for youth and school sports and be a venue for concerts and events.

In 2005, RCB Ballpark hosted two of the four concerts of the Across the Narrows Festival. On August 17, 2010, RCB Ballpark hosted the NY-Penn League All Star Game. On August 5, 2017, Impact Wrestling hosted a live event at the stadium.

A Potential Olympic Venue

New York City was one of the nine cities who placed a bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. The proposed plan for the Olympics in New York City included RCB Ballpark (known as SIUH Community Park today) being used for softball. New York City's bid advanced to the shortlist of five finalists but lost to London on July 6, 2005, during the 117th IOC Session in Singapore. Softball competitions were ultimately excluded from the 2012 Olympics program, as the International Olympic Committee voted to drop the sport after the 2008 Beijing Games, rendering the venue proposal moot.

Renovations and Upgrades

In 2022, the ballpark formerly known as Richmond County Bank Ballpark received $10 million in renovations spearheaded by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) to adapt the venue for independent professional baseball and expanded community uses after the Staten Island Yankees' affiliation ended in 2020. The upgrades focused on modernizing infrastructure to support year-round operations, including professional games, youth and college sports, concerts, and other events, thereby enhancing its role as a multi-purpose facility in Staten Island's St. George neighborhood.

As the stadium prepares for its first wave of fans, media and officials were able to see the extensive work being done to the stadium and the new turf field being installed. "It's beautiful. They redid the whole stadium. Nothing but class around here," Mondello said.

Location and Accessibility

SIUH Community Park enjoys a prime location adjacent to the St. George Ferry Terminal, making it easily accessible via public transportation. The Staten Island Ferry provides the primary inter-borough connection to SIUH Community Park, departing from the Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan and arriving at the adjacent St. George Terminal after a 25-minute voyage; service operates 24 hours daily with frequencies of 15-30 minutes during peak periods and is free to all passengers. The park entrance at 75 Richmond Terrace lies approximately 0.2 miles (a 5-minute walk) northwest of the St.

St. George Terminal functions as the hub for the Staten Island Railway (SIR), with southbound trains departing every 10-20 minutes weekdays and extending to Tottenville; riders alight at St. George and proceed on foot to the park, as the former Richmond County Bank Ballpark SIR station ceased operations in 2009. Multiple MTA local bus routes also terminate or pass through St. George Terminal, offering intra-borough access, including the S40 (to Castleton Corners), S44 (to Staten Island Mall), S48 (to Mariners Harbor), S51/S81 (to Bay Ridge via Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge), S52 (to Stapleton), S53/S93 (to Bay Ridge), S54 (to Norwood Avenue), S55/S95 (to Rossville), S57 (to New Springville), S59 (to Tottenville), S61/S91 (to Staten Island Mall via Victory Boulevard), S62 (to Tottenville via Hylan Boulevard), S76/S86 (to Charleston), and S79 Select Bus Service (to Bay Ridge); these routes feature headways of 10-30 minutes during peak hours. Express buses such as SIM1, SIM5, SIM6, and SIM10 provide direct service from Midtown and Downtown Manhattan to St.

Bus stops immediately adjacent to the park on Richmond Terrace, such as those at Wall Street (1-minute walk) and Schuyler Street (4-minute walk), are served by select routes including the S40 and S44 for drop-offs en route to the terminal. During events, MTA coordinates additional service and signage at St.

Parking at SIUH Community Park is primarily available in the adjacent Empire Outlets parking lot, located directly across Richmond Terrace from the first base side of the ballpark. This facility offers a discounted rate of $10 per vehicle for all Staten Island FerryHawks home games, with advance purchase recommended to secure spots and minimize entry delays. Additional game-day parking may be accessible at the New York Wheel Garage at 155 Richmond Terrace, near the St.

Economic Impact and Community Revitalization

SIUH Community Park bolsters the local economy of Staten Island's North Shore primarily through its role as the home stadium for the Staten Island FerryHawks, an Atlantic League professional baseball team, which attracts visitors whose spending extends to concessions, merchandise, parking, and proximate businesses in the St. George neighborhood.

Beyond baseball, the park's multi-purpose capabilities enable hosting of community events, concerts, and festivals, diversifying economic inputs year-round and aligning with broader municipal efforts to revitalize the area through enhanced waterfront amenities and event programming. Future developments emphasize transforming the park into a year-round multi-use venue to boost utilization and revenue beyond baseball.

"The stadium not being open really was an eyesore, and for it to be open really is another place for our community to gather," St. "Fifty jobs for people who might not have had them before, most of them very local, and Staten Island needs opportunities for local small businesses and vendors," president and CEO Andrew Kimball said.

A Symbol of Community Pride

SIUH Community Park has become more than just a baseball stadium; it is a symbol of community pride and a testament to the revitalization of Staten Island's waterfront. With its rich history, diverse events, and commitment to community engagement, the park continues to play a vital role in the cultural and economic landscape of Staten Island.

“Our vision from day one was to align ourselves with a partner who cared for the community as passionately as we do, and Staten Island University Hospital / Northwell Health is just that,” said John Catsimatidis, FerryHawks Chairman, via press statement. “Staten Islanders are not fair-weather fans. They’re die-hards when it comes to supporting their home team,” said Dr. Brahim Ardolic, SIUH’s Executive Director, via press statement. “Staten Island University Hospital is the perfect partner for the FerryHawks,” said FerryHawk President, Eric Shuffler via press statement. “NYCEDC congratulates the Staten Island Ferry Hawks and Staten Island University Hospital/Northwell Health on the new stadium name,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball via press statement. The FerryHawks and Staten Island University Hospital / Northwell Health have not only created a rally back for baseball on the island, but a movement to rejuvenate the area and have it become the Downtown District of Staten Island.

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