Fort Staunton is an area in Liberty City that appears in Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto Advance and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories. It is located on Staunton Island, surrounding Rockford, Newport and Liberty Campus.
Description[]
Fort Staunton is depicted as different types of locations in each game set in Liberty City, due to the timeline of events that happened between 1998 and 2001. Chronologically, Fort Staunton is depicted as an Italian neighborhood in 1998, a temporary military base in 2000 and a large construction site in 2001.
Events[]
Events of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
In Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, set in 1998, Fort Staunton was an Italian neighborhood. Fort Staunton has several buildings, mainly consisting of apartment blocks, hotels, and stores. However, the area is controlled by the Forelli Crime Family. The district is later destroyed by Toni Cipriani, after he had planted explosives in a disused subway station via an unfinished section of the Porter Tunnel, on the orders of Donald Love, in an act of revenge against the family, who had nearly killed him. After the explosion, the district is cordoned off. No traffic or pedestrians are seen around the area, with firefighters and military personnel surveying the scene. The explosion severely weakened the Forellis, reducing their presence in the area.
Events of Grand Theft Auto Advance[]
In Grand Theft Auto Advance, set in 2000, a temporary military base was mounted in the ruins of the former Italian neighborhood. The military seems to still be surveying the area, and military vehicles such as the Barracks can be found in the area. Additionally, the area surrounding the site is under the control of the Triads, while the Colombian Cartel controls the adjacent turf in Aspatria. Despite being a restricted military area, accessing the base won't give the player any wanted level.
Events of Grand Theft Auto III[]
In 2001, after the military base was removed, the Panlantic Construction Company eventually moved in to redevelop Fort Staunton, clearing away nearly all remnants of the district to start the construction of Staunton Plaza. There is still a short tunnel under the area in GTA III that may be the only remaining bit of the disused subway tunnel Toni Cipriani used to plant the explosives, alongside several shells of buildings. By this time, the Colombian Cartel has full control of the Fort Staunton area.
The entire Fort Staunton area is the site for the construction of the new Staunton Plaza (due to be completed "next fall"). Most of the area around Fort Staunton is dug out and contains shells of past buildings, a tunnel, and a large multi-storey building bearing the banner of Panlantic Construction Company, who are in charge of the area's development. The Panlantic Construction Company is suspected by the LCPD to be one of the many fronts for the Colombian Cartel, which explains the presence of Cartel members and their Cartel Cruisers in the area.
Influence[]
Fort Staunton is based on Italian Harlem, Manhattan, in GTA Liberty City Stories, while in GTA III it is a standard construction site.
Gang Control[]
Fort Staunton in GTA Liberty City Stories is controlled by the Forellis, who apparently maintain a large ammunition storage area underneath the district. The aforementioned destruction of the district was backed by Donald Love, in an act of revenge against the Forellis for attempting to kill him during the mayoral race against Miles O'Donovan. After the explosion, local media blamed the Forellis' munitions storage as being the source of the explosion. After the destruction of Fort Staunton, the Forellis will no longer appear in the area but will still appear on the border with Newport, Liberty Campus and in the east of Fort Staunton, albeit rarely.
As the Panlantic Construction Company is a front of the Colombian Cartel, Fort Staunton is depicted in Grand Theft Auto III to be under the control of the gang. However, with Donald Love orchestrating the murder of Yakuza co-leader Kenji Kasen to falsely implicate the Cartel for Kenji's assassination and instigate a gang war between the two factions, the Yakuza launched an offensive into Fort Staunton, leading to Yakuza members appearing on the streets. This causes war between the Yakuza, Cartel, and, if nearby, the Uptown Yardies surrounding Newport.
Fort Staunton is the most violent neighborhood in GTA III because Cartel members constantly attempt to kill Claude if he passes by. However, the area becomes safer once the Yakuza arrive (due to Claude being an ally of the Yakuza), but it is still not recommended to remain in the area for long periods.
Businesses[]
1998[]
2001[]
Pickups[]
Grand Theft Auto III[]
- AK47 – Tucked beside a construction trailer underneath some ruins, north of the sharp angled turn in the northeast part of the construction zone.
- Health – On the second floor of the unfinished building inside the Panlantic Construction Site, next to the Body Armor.
- Body Armor – Ditto.
Gallery[]
Grand Theft Auto III[]
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
Grand Theft Auto Advance[]
Trivia[]
- When the player achieves 100% Completion in GTA Liberty City Stories, a Rhino will spawn at the large crater left by the explosion near the Staunton Cafe.
- In GTA Liberty City Stories, the soldiers that spawn in the area are coded as armed civilians rather than law enforcement. Because of this, they will not pursue the player if they obtain a six-star wanted level; however, they will attack Toni if he has a wanted level (confirmed in the mobile version).
- The fact that the military occupies the area temporarily is semi-realistic, as the explosion of two or even more city blocks, with multiple civilian casualties, could be flagged as a terrorist act.