Staten Island Records Borough's Highest Home Sale at $8.5 Million

A gated estate in Todt Hill at 176 Benedict Road closed this month for $8.5 million, marking the highest price ever paid for a home on Staten Island, according to reporting by the New York Post. The sale, which closed days after the property was listed at $8.95 million last fall, nearly doubles the borough's previous recorded high of $4.6 million.

The sellers, Richard and Vania Cardinale, founders of the Farm to Bagel chain, bought the vacant lot in 2017 for $1.7 million and invested roughly $6 million to build what the Post described as their "dream home." The custom residence, completed in 2021, totals about 11,000 square feet and includes amenities more commonly seen in high-end condominium towers.

The house combines reclaimed brick, Bucks County stone and Indiana limestone beneath a slate roof. Interior features reported by the Post include an indoor-outdoor basketball court, a full gym, a spa with steam room and sauna, a hair salon and a dedicated wine room. Landscape elements surrounding the pool area incorporate koi ponds, waterfalls and multiple fire pits. A 750-pound glass chandelier was shipped from England for the foyer.

Tom Li of Corcoran, who represented the listing, told the Post that the property was designed to offer privacy and a resort-like atmosphere. Li said replicating the project today would take longer and cost substantially more than it did during the Cardinale renovation. The Cardinales told the agent they built the home for long-term use but shifted plans after launching a new farm business in New Jersey, which made regular commuting from Todt Hill impractical.

A local family with roots in both Brooklyn and Staten Island purchased the estate, according to the listing agent. The buyer has not been publicly identified.

The sale stands in contrast with the borough's broader housing market. The median home price on Staten Island is roughly $750,000, according to Redfin, illustrating how atypical the $8.5 million transaction is for the borough. The property sits across from the former mansion of Gambino family boss Paul Castellano, which was listed last year for $18 million. That listing remains, according to StreetEasy, the most expensive residence for sale on Staten Island and would surpass the new record if it sells at asking.

Li said the sale may help raise Staten Island's profile in conversations about New York City luxury real estate. "Staten Island has amazing inventory," he told the Post. "It never has the attention it deserves ... this is a wonderful opportunity for Staten Island to be on the map."

The transaction underscores a small but notable segment of high-end activity on Staten Island, where custom builds in exclusive enclaves like Todt Hill can command prices well above the borough median. The sale closed after the property spent months on the market at a near-$9 million asking price and reflects both the value of large, turnkey estate properties and the premium for privacy and extensive amenity packages in the current market, as described by the listing agent and reported by the New York Post.