City officials, elected leaders and Flushing community members helped break ground on a new and long-awaited $34 million education building at the Queens Botanical Garden that will feature six teaching areas for year-round programming.
The Joan N. and Norman Bluestone Education Center will be 14,500 square feet, replacing a smaller educational space. It will have four indoor classrooms, a teaching kitchen, and a solarium where educators can grow and maintain plants for educational purposes.
“Queens Botanical Gardens Master Plan, adopted in 2001, centered building and landscaping with the highest standards for environmental sustainability and climate mitigation.” Queens Botanical Garden Executive Director Evie Hantzopoulos said. “The state-of-the-art building will continue to demonstrate that commitment as well as our dedication to inspiring, engaging, and educating the diverse populations that we serve. We are grateful to everyone who contributed to making this moment happen, including the City of New York, our elected officials, BKSK Architecture, our staff, and donors.”
In keeping with the Garden’s mission, the building has also been designed with sustainable features, including solar panels which will produce 25.5kW of on-site renewable power and a stormwater runoff system from the building roof and surrounding area that will be integrated into the bioswale system of rain gardens, allowing for minimal input into the city stormwater sewer system.
“There are few cultural institutions more important to the health of our borough than the Queens Botanical Garden. Not only is it a space to come smell the roses and enjoy the nature around us, but it’s a proud partner in the fight against climate change,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “This state-of-the-art new education building represents a major step forward in that fight as we build a more sustainable borough for future generations to enjoy, while also fostering a further sense of community in North Queens.”
The new center will also include a large reception/gallery area, two meeting rooms, staff lounge, work room and terrace, open and private office space, an outdoor teaching space, and a covered, outdoor public gathering space. The facility will also be equipped with a fully accessible elevator and fire-rated egress stairs.
“The Queens Botanical Garden is a beloved oasis where city dwellers can find a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle,” State Sen. John Liu said. “This new education building will greatly expand the garden’s impact, accessibility, and reach by offering new ways to teach New Yorkers and visitors of all ages about the natural world and the importance of protecting our environment.”
The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is managing the project for the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA). Work is expected to be completed by late spring 2027.
“Queens Botanical Garden is one of our city’s greatest green spaces, a place that stewards an incredible living collection and invites in New Yorkers with a wide range of extraordinary programming,” Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo said. “With this new education center — which will be fully funded and built by the city — QBG will have the state-of-the-art, fully accessible space it deserves to educate, engage, and inspire visitors with the wonders of the natural world.”
