High School proposed for Sports Authority site

[JHMNY]

A 1000 seat high school has been proposed for the former Sports Authority site on Northern Blvd. I guess this means that the car dealership currently occupying the space is there temporarily.

Is this a good location for a school? The site is conveniently located to public transportation, but it also sits right at a heavily trafficated and dangerous intersection.

https://jacksonheightspost.com/new-1000-seat-high-school-proposed-for-former-sports-authority-site

[dssjh]

western Queens REALLY needs a high school.

if they were proposing an elementary or even a junior high, i'd have doubts. but i think kids this age can cope with crossing busy streets.

[JHMNY]

Agreeing about the need for a high school, but still believe that Northern Blvd at the proposed location is challenging to cross for folks at any age. I frequently drive by Long Island City High School over by 21st Street and Broadway, and have witnessed some of the risky moves kids attempt in crossing 21st Street, the wider thoroughfare. It's scary!

[MrPlaza]

They can introduce traffic calming measures as well as place a traffic cop at the intersection during key hours. A busy intersection is an easier problem to solve than a shortage of schools. This is a great proposal.

[toque198]

Bryant isn't that far away and those students don't seem to have a problem getting to Broadway or Northern Blvd.

[dssjh]

Bryant isn't that far away and those students don't seem to have a problem getting to Broadway or Northern Blvd.

it's also operating around 125 percent capacity -- with a pending influx from residents in new buildings, and younger folks moving in with kids on the way.

[JK resident]

With all the outrage over speed cameras outside schools being turned off now the SCA is going to place a school on the high speed traffic filled Northern Blvd. The city would place speed cameras on Broadway and Northern Blvd and send fines to anyone going over 25 mph. The amount of fines generated in any year would pay for the school in five years. Drivers after getting the first fine will drive extra slow and add more congestion. This extra time will allow the cars and trucks on Northern to pollute more. More pollution and kids put in increased danger. No thanks

[Jhx]

Seems like a lot of schools. Where are all these kids coming from? The upper West side?

[itsit]

 I would like to see the NYC Dept of Ed pour some serious funding into Bryant and Newtown High Schools first. Both are good
structures physically and could be upgraded without too much difficulty. Let the schools define what areas they would like to
excel in and fund those things well. Look at the excellent Eleanor Roosevelt HS on the Upper East Side which has people lining
up to get in, like for the specialized schools, but in your neighborhood as a guide.

Here are a couple of thoughts connected to this idea-
Newtown HS, for example, has a terrific history of volunteerism and this could be expanded and linked to some subjects that
 students could continue with such as government service, politics, the military, food production, waste management, etc.
These are areas with some job potential straight out of HS or good subjects to study further.

Bryant HS has a had a great drama dept and puts on a number of shows each year which is something that a lot of students can
 participate in. Expand with video and content production, literary studies, language studies and showcase these talents.
These students would be sought after as creatives by many new and older companies.
   

[dssjh]

Seems like a lot of schools. Where are all these kids coming from? The upper West side?

ah, the old "where do babies come from?" query

[queenskid2]

I used to work right around that intersection.  It can be a pain,and dangerous.  If a high school is going to be built at the old Sports Authority site, then they should also build an underground passageway that links the city bound and Forest Hills bound subway stations.  That would provide safe passage to no only students, but other pedestrians as well.  They have a similar passageway that cuts under Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills.  And when the new Stuyvesant High School was built they put a walkway above the West Side Highway for the students.

An underground passageway would make a lot of sense here.

[dssjh]

that passageway is a really good idea. i use the Queens Blvd one when i can. and i know the Stuy High one gets a lot of use.

[petster]

Wonder what the property size is? High schools should also have some athletic field and  green space attached to it if done thoughtfully.  It may, of course, be some sort of specialty school which may not require such a space . I was also thinking that the entrance of the school may not necessarily be on Northern or Broadway.

[JHMNY]

Sunnyside Post:

City Council to Vote on 3,100-Seat High School on Northern Boulevard Today

Sept. 12, 2019 By Christian Murray

The City Council is expected to give the School Construction Authority the green light to go ahead and build a 3,100-seat high school on Northern Boulevard when it comes up for a vote Thursday.

The high school is slated to go up on the corner of Northern Boulevard and 54th Street, on a 137,000 square foot lot that includes the former Sports Authority retail store and an adjacent parking lot.

The proposal was recently approved by the council’s Land Use committee and will be going before the council for a full vote this afternoon.

“I am fully supportive of this and I am sure my colleagues are too,” said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer who represents the district where the school will be built. “The truth is we need more high schools, we need more seats.”

The school will go up in District 30, which incorporates Long Island City and Astoria, as well as parts of Sunnyside, Woodside and Jackson Heights. The city aims to open the building by September 2023.

Follow above link for complete article.

[StevenGrey]

I'd still rather have a Trader Joe's there.

But now the proposal is for a high school with 3x the student body as was originally proposed a year ago? And literally only a stone's throw from the existing Bryant HS?