The Stapleton Houses are a
housing project
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is usually owned by a government authorities, government authority, either central or local. Although the common goal of public housing is to provide affordable housing, the d ...
in the
Stapleton neighborhood of
Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. 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
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is a public development corporation which provides public housing in New York City, and is the largest public housing authority in North America. Created in 1934 as the first agency of its kind in the U ...
(NYCHA) 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
The crack epidemic was a surge of crack cocaine use in major cities across the United States throughout the entirety of the 1980s and the early 1990s. This resulted in a number of social consequences, such as increasing crime and violence in Ameri ...
, 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
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9th Prince
Terrance Hamlin, better known as 9th Prince, is an American rapper and one of the founding members of rap group Killarmy. He was initially responsible for bringing the various members together, under the guide of his brother. He released his so ...
, rapper of
Killarmy
Killarmy () is an American Hip hop music, hip hop group that is affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan It is one of the earliest and most successful of the many List of Wu-Tang Clan affiliates, Wu-Tang affiliates along with Sunz of Man.
Killarmy's music ...
*
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and a member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 C ...
(born 1970), rapper of the
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...
*
RZA (born 1969), rapper and leader of the
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop group formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its original members include RZA, GZA, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, and Masta Killa. Close affili ...
*
Kenny Washington (born 1958), jazz drummer
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Mack Wilds
Tristan Paul Mack Wilds (born July 15, 1989) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his roles as Michael Lee on the HBO original drama series, ''The Wire'', and as Dixon Wilson on the CW teen drama series ...
(born 1989), R&B/Hip-Hop singer and actor
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Ronell Wilson
Ronell Earl Wilson (born May 4, 1982) is an American murderer who was convicted of the 2003 capital murder of two undercover New York City police officers in Staten Island, New York. His trial before Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the United State ...
(born 1982), convicted of the 2003 murder of two undercover New York City police officers
See also
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List of New York City Housing Authority properties
Buildings
Manhattan
Bronx
Brooklyn
Vanderveer Estates Apartments nka Flatbush Gardens, Tiffany Towers nka Tivoli Towers, Ebbets Field Apartments and Towers of Bay Ridge and Rutland Rd Houses in Brooklyn, all five includes rent, gas ...
References
{{reflist
Public housing in Staten Island
Residential buildings in Staten Island
Residential buildings completed in 1960
1960 establishments in New York City