FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JUNE 6, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
FINALLY SOME RELIEF
Long-awaited Francis Lewis High expansion gets underway
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
The most overcrowded high school
in all of New York City, right here in
Queens, is finally getting more space.
Come September 2021 students, parents
‘It’s a mistake’: Activists claim BSA approval of Elmhurst Target based on zoning loophole
BY MARK HALLUM
mhallum@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e Board of Standards and Appeals
delivered a motion in favor of developers
seeking to top off a Target at 82nd Street
in Elmhurst, a controversial decision that
anti-gentrifi cation groups have opposed
for over a year.
Moreover, Councilman Francisco
Moya issued a statement criticizing the
decision.
“While I haven’t been able to personally
review the BSA’s decision yet to understand
its rationale for permitting the
Target project to move forward, I can
say that I believe all the residents, activists
and elected offi cials who testifi ed
against this project articulated a sound
argument,” Moya said. “As the chair
of the Subcommittee on Zoning and
Franchises, I’ll be looking into updating
the zoning text to protect against this
loophole.”
Queens Neighborhoods United, which
took a hardline stance against any variation
to the developers plans to build at
the site, contested the BSA’s decision as
an incorrect interpretation of the zoning
law which forbids big-box chains.
Th e BSA allowed the development at
40-31 82nd St., by Sun Equity and Heskel
Group, on the basis that the Target was
going below cellar level.
Heskel Elias, the developer of the project,
told QNS he believed the activists
were uninformed in their opposition
and that the community will enjoy the
“aff ordable” shopping experience off ered
by Target and that the store will hire
employees from the local talent pool.
“Th is development, for three to four
years, was an abandoned site. QNU was
not there when I was pulling out prostitution
and drug addicts from that location.
Th at was the picture back then.
Nobody cared about it then … when it
was an abandoned movie theater,” Elias
said. “I think they were misinformed and
they were led by people who don’t really
understand business or life.”
Elias added that he bears no anger for the
activists and would like to be able to work
with them to improve the community.
Th e lot is zoned under residential/local
retail (C1) zoning.
QNU said they would appeal the
decision with the state Supreme Court,
which was backed by State Senator Jessica
Ramos.
Read more on QNS.com.
Photo via Google Maps
and faculty at Francis Lewis High
School in Fresh Meadows will celebrate
the completion of a new state-of-the-art,
555-seat annex.
Francis Lewis High School Principal
David Marmor joined the New York
City School Construction Authority and
Department of Education offi cials on May
30 for a special ground-breaking ceremony
marking the beginning of the new
expansion.
The annex will reduce overcrowding
at Francis Lewis and will be fully accessible,
air-conditioned, and will include
at least 18 new instructional spaces.
Other amenities will include a culinary
arts room, a science lab, a hydroponic
greenhouse, locker rooms and a
multi-purpose room.
“This new annex will provide
much-needed relief for the students and
staff at Francis Lewis and is a vital part
of the SCA’s eff orts to provide over 5,300
high school seats to Queens by 2023,” said
Lorraine Grillo, president and chief executive
offi cer of the New York City SCA.
“Th e collaboration and eff ort that it took
on the part of so many individuals, stakeholders
and elected offi cials to respond
to the unprecedented development and
growth that we see all around us is truly
groundbreaking.”
With a total number of 4,500 students
(over 200 percent capacity), Francis Lewis
has maintained a high level of academic
excellence despite the overcrowding conditions,
said Marmor.
“This new annex will allow our school
to have more programming flexibility
along with providing our students
with a 21st-century learning environment.
I really do believe our science
research kids are going to create
some incredible discoveries in the new
lab,” said Marmor. “On top of that, the
greenhouse is going to be able to produce
herbs and vegetables that will go
straight from the greenhouse into the
culinary kitchen where the kids will be
able to cook, serve and eat fresh produce
in a way that would not be possible
without the hydroponic greenhouse.”
The new building will also mark the
end of students attending classes in
portable trailers in the field leaving
quite a few options of how to utilize
the space. The field — complete with
a track and sports facilities in need of
repair — may be part of the renovation
eventually, with additional plans to
create a JROTC training facility on the
property, said Marmor.
“We have the largest, most accomplished
JROTC program in the country
with over 800 students participating,” said
Marmor. “In order for them to compete
nationally with schools that are in more
rural areas with space, we want to provide
our JROTC kids with a proper training
facility.”
Councilman Peter Koo, who contributed
funding for the project, said the new
expansion was desperately needed to alleviate
overcrowding in the school.
“I was happy to contribute funding to
this important expansion, and I’d like to
thank Principal Marmor and his staff , the
Department of Education and the School
Construction Authority for their commitment
to ensuring Francis Lewis High
School students have the resources they
need to succeed,” said Koo.
Additionally, as part of the SCA’s Public
Art for Public Schools program, permanent
public artwork will be included in
the new building.
Th e artist selected, Bryan Zanisnik, was
commissioned under the Public Art for
Public Schools “Sites for Students” program
for which he will conduct a series
of student workshops in conjunction with
his new artwork. Th e artwork will be in
the multi-purpose room on the second
fl oor, which the school plans to use as a
“restaurant” eating area for culinary students,
as well as a gathering area for special
events.
Instruction will not be interrupted
during construction of the annex.
Photo by Carlotta Mohamed/QNS
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