St. John’s University Announces Sale of Staten Island Campus to Wagner College

(QUEENS, NY, May 12, 2026) — St. John’s University today announced the successful sale of its Staten Island Campus to Wagner College, ensuring the property’s continued use for higher education and community benefit. The transaction was facilitated by global real estate advisor Savills, which represented St. John’s throughout the process.

The campus, long a part of St. John’s academic and service mission, will transition to Wagner College ownership following a thoughtful and collaborative process between both institutions. The campuses are a quarter-mile apart.

“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,” said Rev. Brian Shanley, O.P., Ph.D., President of St. John’s University. “We are pleased that Wagner College will carry forward the campus’s tradition of academic excellence and community engagement, and we are grateful to Savills for its expert guidance throughout this transaction.”

Wagner College plans to integrate the campus into its institutional footprint, creating opportunities for growth while maintaining strong ties to the Staten Island community.

“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,” said Jeffrey Doggett, Ed.D., President of Wagner College. “We look forward to building on the strong foundation established by St. John’s University and on the long history of Wagner College innovation.”

Savills played a key advisory role in structuring and executing the transaction, providing market insight, strategic positioning, and negotiation expertise. The project was led by the team of Arthur Mirante and David Carlos, two industry veterans with deep experience advising universities on complex real estate projects along with Savills Corporate Managing Directors Michael Bertini and Mark Todrys.

“This was a uniquely mission-driven transaction that required a careful balance of financial, institutional, and community considerations,” said Arthur Mirante, Vice Chair, North America at Savills. “We were honored to represent St. John’s and help identify a buyer that shares its educational values and long-term vision for the campus. This is a distinct property, and this has been a special transaction to navigate.”

The sale allows St. John’s to further invest in its core academic programs and facilities across its main campus in Queens and remaining global sites while ensuring that the Staten Island property remains dedicated to higher education.

The Staten Island site was originally the home of Notre Dame College, a small, independent, women’s college established in the 1930s, which was consolidated with St. John’s University in 1971; Notre Dame students used many facilities, including residence halls and the gymnasium, at Wagner.

In August 2022, St. John’s announced a planned two-year phase out of academic operations at the campus that concluded in May 2024. University representatives hosted several public and private meetings and consistently expressed an intent to maintain a healthy relationship with the local community and to find a buyer best-suited for the long-existing educational facility.

“Wagner College is a cornerstone of Staten Island education and shares a rich history with St. John’s University of providing the best for their students. It always made sense that the next chapter in the story of the St. John’s campus would unfold with Wagner at the helm," Borough President Vito Fossella said.

“We thank St. John’s University for being a good neighbor and pursuing an appropriate buyer in good will. And we thank Wagner College President Jeff Doggett, the Board of Trustees, and all the Wagner family for taking the leap and making this exciting investment, which will allow a rich, local educational legacy to live and thrive.”

Financial terms were not disclosed. Additional details of the transaction will be shared later.

About St. John’s University:
St. John’s University is a private, coeducational, Roman Catholic University founded in 1870 by the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians), with its main campus located in Queens, NY. St. John’s University also has campuses and locations in Manhattan, NY; Rome, Italy; Paris, France; and Limerick, Ireland.

St. John’s University is comprised of six Schools and Colleges, including the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies, St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, The Peter J. Tobin College of Business (including the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science), The School of Education, and the School of Law.

As of Fall 2025, the University has almost 1,300 full-time and part-time faculty; 16,651 undergraduate students; and 3,784 graduate students from 45 states and 125 countries. St. John’s offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate programs, including 16 doctoral programs.

About Wagner College:
Wagner College, founded in 1883, seamlessly blends exceptional professional programs with a traditional academic ethos for a comprehensive, experiential-forward education that fosters well-rounded, adaptable graduates. The college’s verdant residential campus offers a traditional college experience on New York City’s Staten Island, situated on a hilltop overlooking Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Atlantic. Wagner prides itself on robust student support services, including personalized academic advising, comprehensive career counseling, and a wide array of wellness programs comprising its “We Care” culture. Students are prepared not only for professional success, but also for meaningful lives through the faculty’s dedication to promoting scholarship, achievement, leadership, and citizenship. A Division I athletics institution and the No. 1 college in the U.S. for student theater, Wagner enrolls approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 43 states and 49 countries.

About Savills:
For over 170 years, Savills has been helping people thrive through places and spaces. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, we have more than 42,000 professionals collaborating across over 70 countries, delivering unrivaled coverage and expertise to the world of commercial and prime residential real estate. By applying world research data and trends to local and global settings, we empower our clients with insights from the forefront of the industry, bringing their aspirations to life through innovative, tailor-made solutions. Whether we are working with a global corporation looking to expand or an investor seeking to sustainably optimize their portfolio, we help our clients make better property decisions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Brian Browne
St. John’s University
Associate Vice President of University Communications and Public Affairs
Tel. 718-990-2762, Cell 917-561-7068
[email protected]
stjohns.edu

Jim Chiavelli 
Wagner College
Vice President for External Affairs and Chief Communications Officer
Tel. 718-390-3147, Cell 617-593-2019
[email protected]
wagner.edu

Brandon Levesque
Savills
Vice President, Head of Corporate Communications
Tel. 212-588-3460, Cell 718-938-3423
[email protected]
savills.us