Guido Island has always had areas such as St. George and New Brighton that were prime areas for gentrification. These were the industrial portions of Staten Island that were abandoned in favor of the once rural interior after the (censored) gangplank was built from Brooklyn.
If you ever are bored, check this out,
http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/home/home.shtml
It shows the massive redevelopment plans for Staten Island over the next 20 years. Southeast Staten Island will be home to the largest public sports recreation complex in the city by the end of this. Those massive houses there are already being sold at a premium in relation to proximity to the planned park.