PS 70 in Astoria will gain 60,000 square feet in new classrooms, gym, and more

Image source: Queens Chronicle

The Queens Chronicle reported some happy news last week – PS 70 in Astoria (30-45 42nd Street – GMAP) is going to expand by 60,000 square feet and should have access to the new addition by September 2015. Local City Councilman Peter Vallone really wanted a gym at this school and he’s gotten his wish; currently the school uses one of their lunch rooms for PE-related activities. The addition will also include the following:

The construction will add 24 classrooms with 580 seats, a garden, art and music rooms, administration areas, a new secondary entry and a lobby with tiles saying “welcome” in 50 different languages and a gym.

The building will also incorporate more green features, including including semitransparent grates on the tops of the windows – a kind of sunshade that hasn’t been implemented in a school. The expected benefits are lower energy costs, due to the natural cooling effect of the shades.

This addition will be located where 40 year old temporary buildings were in place. Taking those temporaries out of commission (which were only supposed to be there for 10 years) is believed to be a positive step toward safer school grounds. Those who attended classes in these buildings will now be incorporated into the main building. Pre-K students will use additional temporary buildings.

PS 70 in Astoria gains a gym [Queens Chronicle]