Quinn and 5 other electeds letter in support of relocation

Letter sent to Chancellor spearheaded by Quinn's office to "evaluate the feasibility of alternative locations" *Previous letter from Quinn in January (see previous posts) she states that "the PS 51 project has commenced and any major changes in the specifications to the bid would generate costs overruns that could result in the project's cancellation"  Months later, this comes in response to parents speaking out for our demands.

[transcribed from the pdf version]

April 27, 2011


Dennis M. Walcott
Chancellor
NYC Department of Education
Tweed Courthouse
52 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007

Dear Chancellor Walcott:

We are writing you today seeking your assistance in relocating one of our local elementary schools, Public School 51, The Elias Howe School, located at 520 West 45th Street in Manhattan.

As part of the rezoning of West 44th and 45th Streets between 10th and 11th Avenues approved by the City last year, the School Construction Authority (SCA) began the process of building a brand new, larger, state-of-the-art home for PS 51.  Both the new school, and a large residential development that includes desperately needed permanently affordable housing, will be built directly adjacent to the existing PS 51, leaving PS 51 as the sole occupied building.  While these are welcome additions to the neighborhood, the PS 51 community has raised concerns about the impact of the ongoing construction on the students and staff.

On April 14, 2011, the School Leadership Team and the Executive Board of the PTA wrote to local elected officials and the DOE asking for an immediate postponement of the construction and a temporary relocation of the school for the start of the Fall 2011 school year until the completion of the construction.  The school leadership clearly believes that remaining at PS 51’s current location is untenable given the large-scale construction happening in the immediate vicinity of the school and the potential for exposure to elevated noise levels and dangerous chemicals released during the construction process.

We certainly appreciate the steps that the Department of Education (DOE) and SCA have taken thus far to manage this complex development.  As you know, throughout the construction process our offices have collaborated with the DOE, SCA, the developers, the School Leadership Team, the PTA, teachers, parents, community members, and other stakeholders to ensure that the process proceeds as smoothly as possible.  Despite our combined efforts, PS 51 stakeholders continue to have concerns about the construction’s environmental impacts.  In order to respond to the concerns of the PS 51 stakeholders, we therefore urge DOE to relocate the school for the Duration of construction and begin site visits as soon as possible to evaluate the feasibility of alternative locations.

We look forward to immediately working with your office on this project to the satisfaction of the school administration, parents and students.  To update our offices please call Melanie LaRocca in Speaker Quinn’s Office at (212) 564-7757.

Sincerely,

[signed by]

Christine C. Quinn
Speaker

Jerrold Nadler
Member of Congress

Scott M. Stringer
Borough President

Thomas K. Duane
State Senator

Linda B. Rosenthal
Assembly Member

Richard N. Gottfried
Assembly Member