Elected officials and school administrators held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting Wednesday morning to officially open Queens Innovation Center, a massive 3,066-seat high school in Woodside that strives to provide a “transformative educational environment” for generations to come.
The six-story facility, located at 53-16 Northern Blvd., will begin welcoming students on Thursday, Sept. 4 and is home to four separate high schools, including Gotham Tech High School, Motion Picture Technical High School, Northwell School of Health Science and P993Q.
The massive $178 million facility features 94 regular classrooms, six resource rooms, a 550-seat auditorium, a full kitchen complex complete with two dining areas and a competition-sized gymnasium with bleachers and locker rooms.
The school also boasts a weights room and a dance studio in addition to outdoor play areas, state-of-the-art science labs, a medical suite and guidance offices.
Queens Innovation Center, the largest school ever constructed by the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) in the agency’s 35-year history, will also cater to District 75 students, providing highly specialized support for students facing significant challenges.
The facility provides support through a range of resources, including 18 special education classrooms, two speech rooms and a state-of-the-art multi-purpose room that provides District 75 students with the life skills necessary to live on their own.
SCA President and CEO Nina Kubota joined NYC Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos and Deputy Mayor of Operations Jeffrey Roth at Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, State Sen. Michael Gianaris, Assembly Member Steven Raga and representatives from the offices of U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez and Council Member Julie Won were also present for the ribbon-cutting.
Kubota said Wednesday that the newly completed school is an example of what can be achieved when state and city partners collaborate with one another.
“This building truly represents what can be achieved when we all work together,” Kubota said.
Aviles-Ramos, meanwhile, said Queens Innovation Center will “come alive” on Thursday when more than 3,000 students walk through the doors for the very first time.
“What a beautiful, inspiring space to enter each morning,” Aviles-Ramos said at Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting.
She added that Queens Innovation Center will provide a new space where students “will learn to explore a world of opportunities and career pathways.”
“This building represents a tangible investment in our communities, what our students and families can see and feel. I can’t wait to come back to see our students walking home laughing with their friends and exploring the opportunities in their new school community,” she said.
Roth described the facility as a space “intentionally designed to inspire learning,” adding that Queens Innovation Center will foster innovation and support growth in “every sense of the word.”
He noted that the school stands on the site of a former COVID-19 testing facility and said the completed building stands as a beacon of hope for the local community.
“Just a few short years ago, the site was a COVID-19 testing center. Today, it stands as a symbol of hope, a place where the future will be shaped, classroom by classroom and student by student,” Roth said Wednesday morning. “This new 6-story facility is not just filled with amenities, but the innovative tools our students deserve to reach their fullest potential.”
Richards said the new school marks a significant step in the city’s efforts to reduce overcrowding in public schools, stating that the school also provides an invaluable opportunity to children living in the nearby Woodside Houses.
“Those kids from Woodside houses deserve every opportunity to have a quality high school in their neighborhood,” Richards said. “And what we built here is what the students of this community, once again, have long deserved. We’re talking about more than 3,000 new seats in what is one of the most overcrowded school districts in the city. You were talking about every square inch of this campus being state-of-the-art.”
Richards said Motion Picture Tech will help fuel the city’s “unrivalled” TV and film industry for years to come, adding that the Northwell School of Health Sciences will help to mold the next generation of “healthcare heroes.” Gotham Tech, on the other hand, will help produce a future generation of engineers, data scientists and tech leaders, while P993Q will ensure that District 75 students have the opportunity to thrive and flourish “with dignity and respect.”
“These groundbreaking schools will prepare our kids for the careers of tomorrow,” Richards said. “This isn’t just a building, but the building block that all their successes grow from.”
Gianaris said the ribbon-cutting was a “special day” for the community and said the school helps to address a shortage of school seats in the district.
“We need these seats,” Gianaris said. “We need the facilities that this great building is going to have.”
In a statement, Adams said Queens Innovation Center was “more than just a school.”
“It’s a promise kept to Queens families,” Adams said. “With the opening of this $178.85 million campus, we are delivering thousands of modern, flexible and inspiring seats to our students. From cutting-edge labs to spaces for the arts, athletics and community gatherings, this school is built to prepare our young people for bright futures.”
SCA broke ground at Queens Innovation Center in December 2021 on a 137,000-square-foot lot that was previously occupied by the Sports Authority store and parking lot. The site also served as a COVID-19 testing center during the pandemic.
SCA noted that it has now added 27,000 new school seats across the city during Mayor Eric Adams’ term in office, with that figure set to rise to 33,000 by year’s end.
Other schools opening in Queens this year include the completion of the P.S. 26 addition at 195-02 69th Ave., which will add 399 seats, and the P.S. 160 Addition at 145-14 Glassboro Ave., which will add 354 seats.
SCA will also complete the Q509 Lease Renovation at 101-11 104th St., adding 229 seats, and the P.S. 182 Annex at 88-13 Parson Blvd., adding 100 seats.
