Children rally for middle school
Jan. 22, 2016 By Christian Murray
Mayor Bill de Blasio has set aside funds for a new school in Sunnyside/Woodside, according to Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.
The mayor released his 2017 preliminary budget yesterday, which allocates $200 million for schools in Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside.
Van Bramer said that the funds make provisions for three schools in Long Island City, with one in Sunnyside/Woodside. He said two of the Long Island City schools will be elementary schools, with the third LIC school yet to be determined.
Details about the Woodside school are not known as yet, although Van Bramer said he would like to see a middle school come to the area.
Van Bramer said that various agencies are zeroing in on possible sites. He said that he spoke to Lorraine Grillo, President and CEO of the School Construction Authority, and the Mayor today about the need for schools.
Van Bramer said he has made it a priority getting schools to open in Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City.
Many Sunnyside and Woodside residents have been pushing for a middle school to be built on the northern side of Queens Blvd in recent years.
A group called the Sunnyside Woodside Middle School Project formed in 2014. Its leaders Sean and Deb McGowan held a rally in October that called on the Department of Education to construct a middle school near the corner of 37th Avenue and 48th Street.
About 75 people attended the rally.
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12 Comments
I think the lot on 50th & 39th avenue is not big enough. What empty lot on Skillman? I think just by having a middle school on 37th avenue by 48th street that would create crowds. Think of all of the people who have to show up early to a school to open it up. The crowds might then create a need to clean up the underpass.
I’m sorry I typed the wrong location. I meant the empty lot on Stienway Street. There’s an empty lot there across from the Verizon phone store.
Yeah that underpass as gotten terrible. I’m not sure if it could be done but I’d like to see some lights under there. I’ve had to walk under there at night once when the other path past the church was blocked and there are spots someone can be hiding behind.
Why not build it on that empty lot on Skillman? That lot is very large and would be good for a multi story building to place a lot of elementary school kids.
The place they plan to build this new school is often devoid of people early in the day and is right next to a street that has nobody on it most of the day due to it being a street filled with factories save for the church. Plus there are a bunch of stray cats around there and I’ve seen raccoon’s around there as well. Any that are rabid will be awake during the day when the kids are going into the school or after school.
Schools are needed more south of the blvd and and in woodside.
About the old Sunnyside Gardens play ground on 50th and 39th ave.
SCA prefers a 30,000SF lot size; similar size of Hunters Point Community School. Min. lot size 14,000SF.
Hi. it’s funny, when I first read Phil’s comments I just assumed he was dismissing the idea. Then I read them more closely and realized he does see the need for a school, he just wants to be as inclusive as possible. He has a point. We are not trying to create some kind of hidden enclave for Sunnyside kids. We are just trying to ease overcrowding in IS 125. IS 125 is a good school It’s just overcrowded. We don’t want to do that by getting a school built on the other side of Northern Boulevard. History has shown that parents will resist having to cross the boulevard. It wouldn’t be terrible if the school was on the south side of Queens Boulevard between 48th and 39th streets because many people cross Queens Boulevard in that area all of the time. That’s where IS 125 is. The problem with the other side of Queens Boulevard is that it is District 24. We would not have any jurisdiction in District 24. This new school will be around for 50 or 75 years. Let the parents be able to have a say in what happens there. That leaves the area between 61st and 39th streets, and Northern and Queens Boulevards. I don’t think the intersection of 37th avenue and 48th street is that dangerous of a walk. It could easily be cleaned up. There is also the area behind Lou Lodati park on 43rd street and Skillman. I see that as easy to get to. It is privately owned though and the city would have to buy it. Given that the neighborhood is so popular that obviously wouldn’t be cheap, but the city could justify paying market rates based on what property has been selling for in our area. I’m glad people are starting to agree on the need for a middle school that will accommodate the students who will be graduating from the new elementary schools that have been built. If anybody has any ideas for a location please let us know. Thanks.
so confused with this damn queens grid, put a pic of a google map for cryin out loud!!
There should be a school north of the Blvd, but that’s a terrible location for a school, convenient for no one who doesn’t live in the Gardens and dangerous for kids to walk to/from by themselves.
I realize Gardens residents generally don’t like sharing, but we really ought to seek out a location that benefits the neighborhood as a whole, not just Garden people. Skillman or 43rd Ave in the low 40s would be good places to start, or, less ideal, perhaps 58 St or Woodside Ave.
Hi Phil,
I think the location on 48th would be the most central to all of Sunnyside – the other 2 you mention are at either end of the neighborhood – but any location that’s large enough to support a good sized middle school between Queens Blvd and Northern Blvd should be explored. We definitely need a place for all the children from our new elementary school seats to go in a few years.
>>Skillman or 43rd Ave in the low 40s would be good places to start
Where? There’s already a school on 43rd and nowhere else to put one, on either Skillman or 43rd.
North of Queens Blvd and South of Northern Blvd would be an area to search in. So students could safely walk to school.