Students at the Academy of American Studies in Long Island City will learn in a brand-new building in 2021.
The school, located at 28-04 41st Ave., currently shares space with Newcomers High School, which is located across the street. But according to the Department of Education (DOE), the parking lot at 40-11 28th St., which is located next to Newcomers High School will become the new home of the Academy of American Studies.
The new four-story building will serve 969 students and include a visual art room, music room, science labs and a medical suite, according to a spokesperson for the DOE. Currently, there are 909 students enrolled at Newcomers High School and 1,021 enrolled at the Academy of American Studies.
The building that currently houses some of Academy of American Studies students will be used by Newcomers High School, the spokesperson said.
A recent report by the nonprofit Class Size Matters found that more than 50,000 school seats were lost from 2004 through 2013 and that more must be done to ease overcrowding.
The seats were lost due to lost leases, co-locations, or the closure of annexes, mini buildings and Temporary Classroom Units (TCU) or trailers. In Queens, 248 high school seats were lost during that time period.
Parents in western Queens have been vocal about the need for more schools, especially since the area has seen rapid overdevelopment. Several schools are slated to be constructed, including three in Long Island City and one in Woodside.
