Mayor Bill De Blasio and elected officials broke ground last week on a state-of-the-art, 572-seat school building in Melrose.
The school will be built adjacent to the South Bronx Educational Complex at 639 St. Ann’s Ave., and will address new seat demand in District 7 as a result of various redevelopment projects in the area.
The new, four-story school building will be a fully air-conditioned, accessible facility for pre-k through fifth grade and will contain four pre-kindergarten classrooms, three kindergarten classrooms, 15 standard classrooms, two district special education classrooms and reading and speech resource rooms. It will also house a District 75 special education component consisting of eight classrooms, two speech rooms, occupational and physical therapy rooms and other support space.
“A Recovery for all of Us must be focused on building a better future for our kids,” De Blasio said. “This new state-of-the-art school will provide the children of District 7 in the Bronx and District 75 the space to grow and the tools to succeed.”
Other amenities at the school will include:
- Art Room
- Music Room with instrument storage
- Science Resource Room
- Gymatorium
- Bicycle Storage
- Exercise Room
- Library
- Full Kitchen Complex
- Students’ Dining Area
- Guidance Suite
- Medical Suite
- Administration Suite
- Teachers’ and Aides Workroom
- Staff Lunch/Conference Room
- Parents/Community Room
- Playground
Construction will begin next week and it is expected to be completed for the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
Assembly Member Amanda Septimo said this will be a much needed addition to the community.
“The only thing more exciting than the first day of school is breaking ground on a new school building,” Septimo said. “I am thrilled that construction is beginning for this new school in District 7, a school building that will also provide access to athletic facilities, artistic resources, and support space for our children. We welcome the much-needed resources for South Bronx families.”
