With a new year, comes a new school!
Earlier today, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Astoria, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, Long Island City, Maspeth, Sunnyside, Woodside) alongside School Construction Authority (SCA) President Lorraine Grillo broke ground on the construction of a new school building for P.S. 384 at Hunters Point South Parcel F in Long Island City.
The new building for P.S. 384 will be a fully air-conditioned, accessible, four-story school for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The 612 seat school will have four pre-kindergarten classrooms, four kindergarten classrooms, twenty standard classrooms and two district special education classrooms.
“Over the last decade, Long Island City has experienced a building and baby boom, and our community desperately needs more schools to keep up with growth. This is a great victory for our community, but also just the start. We must continue fighting to build more new schools in LIC and to make existing schools even better for our students,” said Van Bramer.
The school will also provide two reading rooms, one speech resource room, an art classroom, a science resource room, and a music suite.
Additionally, there will be a library, a full kitchen and student cafeteria, a staff lunch room, a teacher’s workroom, a parent room, and administrative, guidance, and medical suites. Recreational spaces will include a gymatorium, an exercise room, an early childhood playground, and a playground for upper grade students.
The news comes less than a year after Van Bramer rallied with over 80 people in front of a Long Island City public parcel on last March to demand that the de Blasio Administration curb private developments and offer more resources, such as schools or recreational facilities, to residents.
Also of note is that the growing neighborhood is also the home to the planned Amazon HQ2 Headquarters that is expected to create as many as 40,000 jobs over 10 to 15 years and undoubtedly affect New York City’s public school system, according to reports.
The announcement was applauded by fellow Queens electeds Borough President Melinda Katz, Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria, Long Island City, Sunnyside and parts of Woodside, Maspeth, Ridgewood and Woodhaven), Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-D-Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Astoria, Woodside, Long Island City, Maspeth, Queensbridge, Ravenswood, Dutch Kills, Blissville) and U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Western Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn).
“As Long Island City continues to grow, it is imperative that we create neighborhood schools that are worthy of the children who will attend them. This is a victory for Long Island City and the growing families who call it home,” said Katz.
“One of our greatest needs is more school seats for our kids and today’s announcement is good news on that front. I will keep fighting until all parents are assured their children will have the proper learning environment,” said Gianaris.
“As more families continue to call Long Island City home, we need more classroom seats for our community,” said Nolan.
“P.S. 384 is a welcomed and much needed addition to the growing community of Long Island City. I am delighted that Long Island City is getting a badly needed elementary school,” said Maloney.
