In 1964, the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened, bringing with it the promise of new shoreline parkways to tie into the United States mainland.
Two years earlier, Governor Rockefeller sign into law the authorization to proceed with a shore parkway plan from 1941, stating “The South Shore Parkway along the south shore of Staten Island will link the proposed Narrows Crossing with the Willowbrook Parkway Extension at Great Kills Park. Its construction should facilitate a desirable rehabilitation of the Staten Island shorefront.”
The residents of New Dorp Beach living on the beach side of Cedar Grove Avenue had their properties seized by eminent domain in order to proceed with the plans of Robert Moses to create the Shore Front Drive. The Britton Cottage was moved to another Moses creation, Historic Richmondtown, where it sits at the end of Richmond Road. The Our Lady of Lourdes chapel was allowed to stay as was the Cedar Grove Beach colony, but paid rent into an account for future improvements.
The rest of the buildings were demolished. The St. John’s Guild hospital was demolished but due to the strength of the concrete designed, the foundations remained. All buildings of frame construction were destroyed.
The highway was never built.