The Department of Education has decided not to insert a 450-seat high school into the DOE District Office at 30-48 Linden Pl., according to officials.
City Councilman Peter Koo met with Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña earlier this year to express his opposition to the plan due to safety and congestion concerns.
The chancellor stated at that meeting that the plans to build a high school would not go forward, and Koo received a written notice this week from the DOE confirming the proposal’s cancellation.
Koo said the area is already congested and any influx of new students must take into account existing and planned conditions of the neighborhood, including the future development of the nearby Whitestone Bowling Alley.
“We must remain vigilant to ensure that any future use of this location is appropriate for our community especially with regards to the number of students it will serve,” Koo said.
State Senator Toby Stavisky said that while Queens is always in need of more schools, the space is not suitable to hold hundreds of high school students.
“I am pleased the Department of Education has heard the concerns of the community,” Stavisky said. “This is the second time the DOE has considered this site for a school and I hope it’s the last time.”
Community Board 7 Vice Chair Chuck Apelian stated that the board is proud to have worked closely with Koo to convince the DOE and SCA that a high school at Linden Place was an incorrect choice.
“Our Board remains diligent for the best education interests for the children of our community and we remain vigilant against any inappropriate future use at the Linden Place site.”
According to Koo, the DOE correspondence still casts an uncertain light on the future of 30-48 Linden Pl..
The email from the DOE’s Intergovernmental office states that while there will not be a regular school in the building, planning for the site is still fluid and will likely include a mixed use building with some instructional programs for high school-aged students.
The administrative offices of School District 25 and an Alternative Learning Program are currently operating at the site.
A 2007 proposal for a school in the building was also shot down after community outrage.
