By Mark Hallum
Borough President Melinda Katz will be allocating $3.6 million from her discretionary funds toward projects at the four CUNY colleges in Queens. Queens College, York College, Queensborough Community College and LaGuardia Community College will receive backing for the creation of new programs and facilities.
“CUNY has been a critical door to opportunities for millions of New Yorkers and their families, and here in Queens we’re proud to be home to some of the best of CUNY schools,” Katz said. “This multimillion-dollar allocation of public funding is a direct investment into the public colleges of our borough so that CUNY remains able to meet the educational needs of its hard-working students.”
Queens College in Flushing will have $1 million to use for the development of its new music and production program. This will provide classrooms and performance spaces for performers, composers and teachers. The new facility will take into account all contributing factors to good acoustics necessary for live performances and high-quality audio recording. The completion date is set for August 2019.
LaGuardia Community College will build the Center for Career and Employment Training with the $1 million in funding it will receive. This will connect students with a network of employers and will provide job market data. The center will also provide training and advice for gaining employment. The total projected cost of the project is $6 million with the remaining funds possibly coming from the City Council and New York state. August 2018 is the anticipated completion date.
The replacement of the undersized dining hall located in the basement of Queensborough Community College will benefit from $1 million of Katz’s discretionary funds. An additional $1 million will possibly come from the state, with an expected completion date in March 2019.
York College will be renovating its greenhouse with the $640,000 it receives.
Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhall
