The city has completed the construction of a new public elementary school in the Melrose section of the South Bronx just in time for the start of the school year.
The school, P.S. 487, will open on Sept. 5 at 639 St. Ann’s Ave. with 32 rooms to accommodate over 500 pre-K through fifth-grade students. Eight classrooms have been designated for special education students, along with rooms for occupational and speech therapy. The new school also features a 3,400-square-foot outdoor play space, including courts for volleyball and basketball, a small track, and a school garden.
“Our team constructed this school from the ground up and are proud that P.S. 487 will be a welcoming haven for students in the South Bronx for countless decades to come,” said project manager Dan Villandre of Forte Construction, which contracted with the School Construction Authority for the $67 million project.
P.S. 487 was constructed in response to school overcrowding, which the teacher’s union says has persisted citywide. The school has also been built in the wake of a 2022 state law aimed at reducing class sizes over the next six years. The law specifically prioritizes schools with high-poverty student populations—and yet, over 300,000 students remain in overcrowded buildings, according to a November 2023 report by the United Federation of Teachers.
The SCA’s 2020-2024 Capital Program included $1.6 billion for 21 new school buildings in the Bronx, which will add 11,983 new school seats.
“As the South Bronx continues to experience growth with the infusion of much needed affordable housing, it is vital that our constituents also have sufficient city resources and infrastructure to ensure the best quality of life,” said Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr. at the 2021 groundbreaking ceremony for P.S. 487. “Once open, the school will be a beacon of education for countless generations of Bronxites.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
