St. John’s Reaches Deal With Wagner College to Sell Staten Island Campus
The asking price for the campus was $35 million
By Mark Hallum May 12, 2026 12:20 pm
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St. John’s University has reached a deal with Wagner College to offload its Staten Island campus, ending its three-year search for a buyer, the school announced Tuesday.
St. John’s 16.5-acre campus on Grymes Hill began phasing out classes in 2022 and was put on the market in 2023. The asking price was revealed to be in the ballpark of $35 million last month, according to reports.
Wagner plans to integrate the former St. John’s campus into its academic footprint, “creating opportunities for growth while maintaining strong ties to the Staten Island community,” according to the announcement.
“This agreement reflects a strategic decision that aligns with St. John’s long-term priorities while preserving the educational legacy of the Staten Island campus,” the Rev. Brian Shanley, president of St. John’s University, said in a statement. “We are pleased that Wagner College will carry forward the campus’s tradition of academic excellence and community engagement.”
Arthur Mirante, Michael Bertini and Mark Todrys of Savills handled negotiations on behalf of St. Johns, but did not immediately respond to a request for comment. David Carlos, who went to work for JLL two years ago, was also involved in the deal as part of the Savills team.
The final sale price was not disclosed, but St. John’s said in its announcement that “additional details of the transaction will be shared later.”
“This acquisition supports our strategic vision for expansion and innovation, and it reinforces our deep commitment to Staten Island as well as to our students — current and future,” Jeffrey Doggett, president of Wagner College, said in a statement. “We look forward to building on the strong foundation established by St. John’s University and on the long history of Wagner College innovation.”
The campus was previously called Notre Dame College before it consolidated its operations with St. John’s in the early 1970s. Students have often shared facilities with Wagner students at its campus a quarter of a mile away, according to the seller.
Mark Hallum can be reached at mhallum@commercialobserver.com.
