By��Alexandra��Korestski��IIDA, NCIDQ,��and��William Wong,��AIA,��LEED AP��

How can school construction project teams tap into student creativity��and��make��their��project itself��a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience? In an East Coast STEAM school expansion build-out, school leaders and contractors, along with architects and interior designers from��Spacesmith, put the entire high school body in the driver’s seat to design their future.��

As designer and architect for this endeavor, the team learned to advocate for high school students in a new way. The process offers “a roadmap for student advocacy and championing schools by letting students be an integrated part of their facility planning and design,”��according to the local AIA chapter.��Designed��like��a STEAM workplace, the result — the����in the Brooklyn Navy Yard,��a New York City Public School��— is a “school built��with��students,��for��students,”��and a replicable process for high schools around the country.��

The roadmap for advancing student outcomes is anchored in the integration of curricular goals and enrichment planning with the design and construction of the school itself.��In this��case, the��school leaders envisioned their��STEAM Center to��resemble��a workplace,��an environment for��students��to��be treated as young professionals and��for them to��learn��skills and��hands-on trades that��are��applicable��to��real-world��occupations and industries.��Highlighting��and��elevating��all the inner workings that��comprise��the built environment, the project team could enrich a varied group of STEAM education subjects.��

Almost doubling its footprint on the full third floor of��the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s��Building 77,��the project creates��27,000 square feet��of bright and comfortable classrooms, shops, lounge areas, and administrative zones. The entire space is��customized for academic success��in the school’s three departments — Building Trade Systems, Computer Technology Systems, and Engineering — and eight curricular��pathways including carpentry,��cybersecurity��and manufacturing.����

Guided by the school’s distinctive, career-oriented curriculum, the project team and Brooklyn STEAM Center��sought��to engage students as emerging professionals. In��close collaboration with school leadership,��Spacesmith��helped shape the process around three key strategies that support student engagement through an interactive, hands-on approach:��

1. Student��pre-design input.��The design team spent a day at the STEAM center��observing��the general operations, student��arrival��and��departure schedules as the Senior and Junior classes changeover from morning to afternoon, revisiting each area at multiple points throughout the day to see how each space is used.����
2. Design��input.��The design team led two design charettes with students��representing��each of the pathways, which was the main driver in the design for the common space.����
3. Construction��input.��During the construction phase, the design team and general contractor hosted monthly tours for the Construction Technology��student groups.����

Through a collaborative design process with both students and staff at the Brooklyn STEAM Center, the��school’s��layout moves beyond the pure efficiency of a typical classroom model to create a vibrant, flexible environment. Biophilic elements and movable furniture support a range of uses, allowing spaces to shift with daily needs. Curved lighting reinforces this sense of fluidity—evoking waves and water in response to the Brooklyn Navy Yard setting—while introducing��a natural��softness and enabling flexible furniture arrangements without reliance on fixed point lighting.��

Student input played��a central role��in shaping quieter, less stimulating areas for focus and privacy. In response, the design incorporates two smaller-scale lounge areas, or “Focus Nooks,” that provide retreat while��maintaining��appropriate staff��visibility.��

Glazed classroom entrances enhance transparency and connection, with color film patterns derived from the STEAM Center’s identity of abstracted tool forms. These openings draw daylight deeper into��the space��and offer glimpses into each classroom’s unique character and activity.��

In contrast to Building 77’s industrial palette, the design��layers in��warmth and vibrancy through acoustic panels, lounge furniture, and other student-driven elements. A pegboard installation above the pantry cabinets maps Brooklyn and partner school locations, serving as an evolving, participatory feature. Its kit-of-parts—simple shelves and interchangeable components—allows students to adapt and contribute over time, creating a living installation where each class can leave its mark.��

To address noise during class transitions—a key concern raised by both educators and students—acoustic treatments are carefully integrated across floors, walls, and ceilings, supporting a more focused and comfortable learning environment.��

Materials throughout are school-grade and selected for durability, health, and minimal environmental impact, while also introducing a palette of organic, natural elements. Together with a range of varied, neuro-inclusive settings, the design supports the diverse ways students learn today. Each classroom is equipped with modular, highly flexible furnishings, allowing both students and instructors to adapt their environment to different teaching styles and modes of engagement.����

In these ways and more, the expanded Brooklyn STEAM Center reflects the vision and ambition of its students. It serves not only as a place of learning, but as an inspiring launchpad for future educational pathways and professional lives.������

Alexandra Koretski, IIDA, NCIDQ, is a senior associate at Spacesmith. William Wong, AIA, LEED AP,��joined Spacesmith as an architect and project manager.

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By Lindsey Coulter��

A 58,000-square-foot expansion at P.S. 87 in the Wakefield section of the Bronx is reshaping both the school’s footprint and its long-term performance. Designed by RKTB Architects for the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA), the project delivers 17 new classrooms for grades preK-5, eight special education classrooms, art and music studios, a guidance suite, and expanded administrative and medical offices.��

But the intervention extends well beyond added square footage. The project reframes the campus around universal accessibility, all-electric building��systems��and a contemporary gymnasium-auditorium, while modernizing circulation and shared spaces within the existing 1930s structure.��

“More than an expansion, our work to address P.S. 87 is a modernization effort,” said Albert Aronov, AIA, principal at RKTB and head of the firm’s academic studio. “Now the school is equipped with elevators and new restrooms that can accommodate students,��faculty��and staff with the widest range of accessibility needs. We also introduced central air conditioning and heating for the addition, as well as��a state-of-the-art��combined gymnasium-auditorium.”��

The result is a unified campus designed to meet contemporary pedagogical, performance and community expectations.��

Phasing Construction on an Active Campus��

Delivering a major addition��on��a fully occupied elementary school site in a dense residential neighborhood required precise phasing and operational coordination. Limiting disruption to instructional time — while��maintaining��life-safety and code compliance — was a central priority.��

“The biggest challenge was to complete the construction within the shortest possible timeline, in order to limit the disruptions to the work of teachers and students and any inconvenience to neighbors in this primarily residential neighborhood of Bronx, NY,” Aronov said. “We worked closely with the New York City School Construction Authority on a solution that combines a steel frame with concrete insulated panels. This approach is atypical for SCA, but they recognized its value not only because it shortened the construction timeline significantly but also because of the resulting high-performing building envelope with superior thermal performance, efficiency, and durability.”��

RKTB coordinated closely with SCA’s construction management team, school��leadership��and the Department of School Facilities to map daily circulation patterns and��identify��sensitive zones.��

“Working on an active, fully occupied school facility with a goal of uninterrupted operations requires an approach centered on safety, continuity, and careful planning,” Aronov said. “When existing exits or corridors had to be temporarily closed, the design team prepared temporary egress plans that maintain full code compliance and ensure safe, intuitive movement throughout the school during each construction phase.”��

The strategy allowed the campus to function continuously while major structural and��systems��work��proceeded.��

A Contemporary System Within a Neighborhood Context��

While the structural system and envelope represent a contemporary departure from typical SCA practice, the addition was carefully calibrated to��harmonize with��the surrounding low-rise houses and apartment buildings.��

“School buildings are the heart of the communities they serve, often used not only for instruction but for other community uses as well, so the aesthetics and interplay with neighboring properties matters a lot,” Aronov said. “To harmonize with the architectural context of houses and low-rise apartment buildings, the design solution applies a varied façade of blue, dark grey, and traditional clay red brick veneer, with setbacks to break up the massing and modulate the building profile.”��

Brick veneer integrated into precast insulated panels creates visual continuity while enhancing envelope performance. Continuous floor levels��connect��the addition and original building, reinforcing a seamless interior experience for students and staff.��

Site improvements further extend the school’s community presence. A rebuilt schoolyard includes a turf field and running track, basketball court, early childhood��playground��and public sitting area. A metal canopy and flagpole mark the new main entrance at street level.��

Universal Accessibility as a Design Framework��

The modernization��addressed��accessibility comprehensively, extending improvements beyond code minimums.��

“Opportunities to improve accessibility were identified both in the addition and in the existing building, which dates back to the 1930s, long before accessible was a design consideration,” Aronov said. “First, the fully accessible street-level entrance to the expansion became the new main entrance to the entire school. Then our design ensures that the addition and existing building are connected seamlessly on every floor, creating a unified interior that anyone can access using the new elevator on the expansion side.”��

New fully accessible boys,��girls��and unisex restrooms were inserted on every floor at the junction of the new and existing structures. Specialized classrooms created from former office space were designed for full accessibility, and drinking fountains and other legacy elements were upgraded.��

The gymnasium-auditorium and cafeteria — supported by��a state-of-the-art��commercial kitchen — were also designed as inclusive, shared environments capable of supporting assemblies,��performances��and community events.��

Performance Standards and All-Electric Operations��

Performance goals were shaped by SCA’s Green Schools Guide, a framework widely regarded as comparable in rigor to LEED for Schools. The concrete insulated panel façade, brick��veneer��and high-efficiency glazing contribute to a high-performing building envelope��optimized��for durability and thermal efficiency.��

“SCA’s requirements for energy-efficiency and environmental sustainability are among the most stringent of any school district in the country,” Aronov said. “Designed and built for all-electric operation,��eliminating��the need for increased fossil fuel use, the addition features a dedicated central heating and cooling system. Overall, the design ensures operations and energy costs are as low as possible.”��

The all-electric strategy positions the school to adapt to future decarbonization goals while providing consistent thermal comfort.��

Maximizing Space on Constrained Urban Sites��

Urban campuses in New York City offer little margin for horizontal expansion, placing a premium on circulation efficiency and program stacking.��

“In New York City, space is always at a premium,” Aronov said. “For school additions, which are generally between 50,000 and��60,000 square feet��in size, we consider the floor plans very carefully to ensure efficient circulation for foot traffic as well as safe and efficient operations overall.”��

The P.S. 87 project builds on RKTB’s prior work at P.S. 19 in the Bronx and informs ongoing efforts at P.S. 116 in Queens, where sustainability features such as rooftop solar panels and a vegetated green roof are planned.��

At P.S. 87, the combination of expanded capacity, enhanced accessibility and improved performance��demonstrates��how targeted additions can extend the life and relevance of legacy school buildings — without compromising daily operations or community identity.��

Project Info

• Architect:�� RKTB Architects��
• Client + CM: New York City School Construction Authority��
• GC: TECHNICO��
• MEP: Shenoy Engineering��
• SE: Thornton��Thomasetti��
• Civil: Leonard J Strandberg & Associates��
• Environmental: STV Inc.��

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Photo: After evaluating nearly 100 different properties, the team selected a portion of an existing mixed-use structure, with the school occupying three expansive podium levels. | Photo Credit (all): Here and Now Agency��

By Lindsey Coulter��

In the borough of Queens, New York, where land for new construction is scarce, growing schools often struggle to find the right space or structure to support modern teaching and learning. Leaders at Central Queens Academy (CQA) experienced similar challenges when searching for the growing school’s permanent home. Thanks to the partnership and ingenuity of architecture firm GLUCK+, however, for the first time in the school’s more than ten-year history, the entire CQA community is now united under one roof.��

The Search for a Site��

CQA opened in 2012 and for several years the middle school was located in small, temporary spaces as school leaders sought a facility to call home.������

“We knew that we were going to open our first elementary school in 2021, so our desire for a large, permanent school space increased even further,” said Ashish Kapadia, executive director of CQA and a parent of two CQA students.����

The GLUCK+ team, headed by architect Charlie Kaplan, LEED AP, principal, and Marisa Kolodny, associate, was tasked with finding an existing facility that could be adapted and redesigned as a home for education, while also providing a welcoming space for the community. Having worked with the school for more than a decade, the GLUCK+ team had a deep understanding of the school’s spatial needs and how the building needed to serve the mission.��

Together, the GLUCK+ team and school leaders evaluated nearly 100 different properties, eventually selecting a portion of an existing mixed-use structure that includes a community health facility as well as a residential tower, with the school occupying the building’s three expansive podium levels. The podium offers an impressive 83,000 square feet of space, enough to accommodate 50 classrooms and up to 900 students.��

Navigating Scale and Space��

The podium level’s massive 35,000-square-foot floor plate presented both a gift and a unique design challenge. To bring the space down to a more educational scale, the design team broke the space into smaller components, creating intimate, village-like spaces.����

“We wanted to make sure that the scale of the space wasn’t overwhelming for the students,” Kaplan said. “Developing smaller zones allowed us to create more personalized learning environments.”��

The building’s existing structural elements, including low ceilings in certain areas, also forced the team to get creative, developing a visually dynamic space that also reinforced CQA’s branding and mission.��

“We leaned into the low ceilings, lowering them even further in some spaces to create a more intimate, focused environment,” he added. “In the classrooms, we used color, particularly CQA’s signature orange, to highlight architectural features like the carved ceiling details. Instead of just painting the ceiling, we carved into it, using the orange color in these cut-out sections that drew the eye upward, making the space feel larger and more inviting.”����

Kaplan also reflects on the challenge of balancing architectural concepts with real-world constraints.����

“One of the most rewarding aspects of this project was solving difficult design problems with limited resources. It’s a reminder that sometimes, with creativity and ingenuity, you can achieve a lot with a little,” he said.����

The Concept of Villages and Commons��

A hallmark of CQA’s design is the concept of “villages” and “commons,” which emerged from the practical challenge of redesigning a building that was originally conceived as a commercial space.����

“When you have a floor plate that large, it’s inherently very deep, and parts of it don’t receive natural light,” Kaplan said. “In our test fit, we arranged classrooms around the perimeter, where there was glass, but the central area became a conundrum. What do we do with the ‘doughnut’ in the middle?”����

The solution came in the form of the Commons: central spaces designed to foster community, learning and interaction among students. The concept was shaped not only by the building’s physical constraints but also by the need to accommodate CQA’s diverse population.����

As CQA serves one of the most culturally diverse zip codes in the United States, with more than 30 languages spoken by the students alone, the Commons became a natural fit to bring these groups together in a shared space. The design also accommodates the school’s practice of allowing young scholars to step outside of their traditional classroom settings to learn in small groups. According to Kapadia, this method has led to a decrease in scholars falling behind academically.����

“We are able to do real science experiments in laboratory settings and offer four years of middle school STEM instruction, leading to higher scholar performance in math and science by the time they finish 8th grade,” Kapadia said. “For example, 24% of our 8th graders got into a specialized or selective high school in the spring of 2025 and over 75% of our eighth graders passed two high school Regents exams this year.”��

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By Lindsey Coulter

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (DHSU) recently celebrated the completion of a critical update to the facility’s air handling units to better support medical and educational operations. The $10 million project required two years of study and design followed by two years of construction.

SUNY DHSU engaged engineering firm RMF to address concerns about the hospital’s five rooftop-mounted air handling units (AHUs), which were nearing the end of their useful life and used R-22, a refrigerant no longer manufactured due to environmental concerns. The RMF team completed a comprehensive field survey to document existing conditions. Airflow readings were recorded to determine baseline performance, while pressure readings were documented to determine operating static pressure and record heating water flow.

RMF analyzed the findings to develop a feasibility report that provided upgrade and replacement options that highlighted maintenance impacts, energy efficiency optimization, and the least disruptive construction phasing and construction cost estimates. The evaluation included a code assessment, potential upgrades to the energy management and electrical systems, ventilation air calculations using energy modeling software, full heating and cooling load calculations, filtration options and review of the existing ductwork.

Developed in coordination with the State University Construction Fund and DHSU, RMF’s implementation included concept-level phasing and sequencing plans for replacing the three AHUs serving the Labor and Deliver, NICU and PIRR/MRI critical care units. RMF also designed the new AHUs sized to accommodate more outside air than required by code –– requested by DHSU to provide increased capacity of Remote Terminal Units for future expansion –– and incorporate high-rating filters and ultraviolet lighting to improve indoor air quality. The existing electrical and building automation systems were extended to provide power and controls for the new equipment.

As the affected areas had to always remain operational, the project was completed in three construction phases and used newly installed equipment, including temporary units requested by DHSU which were installed for NICU and PIRR/MRI areas during construction to provide temporary air while subsequent equipment was replaced. Construction staging was planned to coordinate with DHSU operations and remain within the urban site’s limited available space.

“We aimed to enhance the capabilities of the hospital while ensuring there was little impact to its operations throughout construction, underscoring the importance of planning,” said Rich Heim, project manager at RMF. “We needed to be mindful of the sensitive and urgent needs of the areas the units impacted, implementing careful coordination that facilitated a seamless transition.”

DHSU is the only academic medical center in Brooklyn and trains more New York City doctors than any other medical college. It has also received $1.1 billion in state investment for its larger renovation to preserve and enhance service to the community.

“This project was designed and executed with the hospital’s future flexibility in mind,” said Yan Li, project manager at RMF. “To support modifications for years to come, we provided 10 percent additional airflow capacity, impacting the labor and delivery, NICU, and PIRR and MRI units and giving them the opportunity to advance their level of care as each practice evolves.”

Li added that, as safety precautions increased in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the firm wanted to make sure the hospital was equipped to handle similar situations should they arise in the future.

The project team also included architecture firm Azar Design Co., structural engineering firm Siracuse Engineers PC, hazardous material abatement firm Encorus Group and cost estimator Trophy Point.

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ALBANY, N.Y. —��University of Albany, one of the four “university centers” of the state’s State��University of New York (SUNY) system, recently embarked on a $30 million decarbonization project that will greatly reduce fossil fuel consumption.��

The project, which includes shutting down campus boilers during summer months, aligns with the collegiate network’s initiative to reduce the carbon footprints of all in-state facilities and meet goals outlined in the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Since SUNY buildings represent 40% of state-owned buildings, the new initiative will accelerate the CLCPA’s plan of reducing almost all of New York greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.��

Approved for funding in the 2023-24 state budget,��the project entails replacing two gas-fired absorption chillers in the university’s 1960s-era power plant with a high-efficiency electric centrifugal chiller and a heat recovery chiller connected to a new geothermal well field in one of the campus’ parking lots. Construction crews have already begun drilling the geothermal wells. Eventually, the university will have up to 135 800-feet deep wells to reduce campus natural gas emissions by 16%.��

Engineers on the project include Baltimore-based RMF Engineering and Copenhagen-based Ramboll.��

“Universities must lead not only by expanding our scientific understanding of climate change, but also by taking concrete steps to mitigate it. I am proud that UAlbany is committed to both,” said Havidán Rodríguez, University of Albany president, in a statement. “This decarbonization project is a major step in reducing our campus greenhouse gas emissions and embodies our resolve to lead on climate by example.”��

Through the environmentally conscious plans, the university aims to achieve total cooling, heating and hot water loads during the summer months. To attain this, more than 25 buildings on the university grounds will see modification to existing hot water systems in addition to the installation of low-temperature hot water piping in athletic facilities. The geothermal heat recovery chiller will make an all-electric renovated Physical Education building possible through efficient heating, cooling and domestic hot water. ��

“SUNY is committed to creating and implementing climate solutions like thermal energy networks, and with nearly 3,000 buildings and over 111 million square feet of space, we have a vital role in establishing a cleaner, energy-efficient future and achieving Gov. Hochul’s ambitious climate agenda,” Chancellor King said in a statement. “Today’s announcement is a testament to UAlbany’s leadership in clean energy and is a blueprint for campuses nationwide looking to reduce fossil fuel use.”��

Geothermal Plans Around Campus��

Geothermal walls will also be drilled in the campus’ State Quad parking lot in preparation for the university’s $250 million research-focused Health Innovation & Technology Building. Inside the facility will sit a satellite Energy hub with added heat-recovery chillers set to enact a positive ripple effect across campus. The geothermal well and satellite will have the ability to not only heat and cool 700,000 square feet of nearby buildings but also reduce campus fossil fuel consumption by an additional 16%.��

“This is exactly the kind of ambitious project we need to see if the state is serious about leading by example and decarbonizing its largest and most polluting facilities,” said Julie Tighe, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters, in a statement. Tapping clean energy from underground through thermal energy networks and shuttering fossil-fuel powered chillers and boilers that pollute our air and contribute to climate change—this is what our clean energy future looks like.”��

With these plans in effect and connected, the Uptown Campus is projected to see fossil fuel consumption drop by one-third. Additionally, though still awaiting approval,��the University of Albany has developed a Clean Energy Master Plan to decarbonize the university’s Downtown Campus as well. ��

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NEW YORK CITY — The doors to the Brooklyn STEAM Center have officially opened; a new hub to provide career technical training to students from eight local NYC public high schools in a rigorous professional setting.

Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) joined Deputy Mayor Glen, NYC Schools Chancellor Carranza and Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams on Feb. 11, 2019 for the celebratory ribbon-cutting. ��

The innovative model, a partnership between BNYDC and NYC DOE, with support from Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, is the first-of-its-kind in New York City and takes the Career Technical Education model a step further, bringing students interested in cutting-edge manufacturing and design fields closer to companies in need of highly-skilled workers.

The $17 million Brooklyn STEAM Center, supported with $12 million from NYC DOE and $5 million from Borough President Adams, will serve as a learning center for up to 300 high school juniors and seniors interested multiple industries, including computer science, design and engineering, culinary arts, construction technology, and film and media.

The program seeks to help students develop skills and create pathways to careers in growing industries.

The 30,000-square-foot Brooklyn STEAM Center sits on the third floor of Brooklyn Navy Yard’s newly-renovated Building 77, featuring professional work spaces and equipment for each of the career pathways, including a professional kitchen, a sound stage, multiple computer labs, and construction and fabrication shops.����

The STEAM Center will advance a model for career and technical education that more closely ties industry professionals and employers to students and educators.

Students from eight Brooklyn public high schools will attend the STEAM Center for two-year programs during their junior and senior year, spending half of their time at their home high schools and spending the other half of their time at STEAM developing skills within one of five industry pathways. They will apply these skills directly by completing projects in a real-world environment, taught by teachers with experience in their respective fields.

Students will earn industry-specific certifications and develop relationships with leading industry professionals within the Yard through tours, interviews, job shadowing, and internships.

Upon graduation, these students will be equipped with the skills, networks, and portfolios needed to pursue their field of interest, whether through immediate entry into the workforce, furthering their education setting, or both.

The STEAM Center will work hand-in-hand with BNYDC’s Employment Center, which prepares local residents to apply for and secure jobs with Navy Yard tenants as well as provides internships to young people in several industries including manufacturing, media, design and more.

New York-based multidisciplinary design firm WXY was selected as the architect for the new learning center and began work on the new center in Fall 2018.

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NEW YORK — The new Pre-K Center 613 facility was recently selected as one of the winners of the Concrete Industry Board’s Award of Merit for best design in concrete.

Located at 369 93rd Street in Brooklyn, the new three-story school is sited in a dense urban block surrounded by residential buildings, developed by the New York City School Construction Authority and designed by MDSzerbaty Associates Architecture as part of Mayor Bill DeBlasio’s “Pre-K-For-All” initiative.

“We are grateful for the challenges given to us by the SCA to consider alternate systems for the structure and envelope to expedite construction,” said Michael Freedman, principal of MDSzerbaty Associates Architecture. “Our use of a concrete structure, prefabricated precast wall panels and curtain wall resulted in a high quality, energy-efficient building that was constructed in record time.”

The rest of the project’s team includes: Thornton Tomasetti (Weidlinger Associates, Inc.) as structural engineer of record, NYC SCA Construction Management as construction manager, T. Moriarty & Son, Inc. as general contractor, Darcon Construction, Inc. as concrete subcontractor (foundation and superstructure), BPDL Inc. (Béton Préfabriqué du Lac) as concrete subcontractor (precast), U.S. Concrete-New York as ready mix concrete supplier, and Future Tech Consultants of NY, Inc. as the field testing laboratory.

The building is a concrete structure with a highly efficient precast concrete, curtain wall and metal rain screen envelope that exceeds energy code requirements. Expansive glass surfaces with shade control brings significant natural light to interiors.

The school is also honored for its outstanding design in the 2018 American School and University Architectural Portfolio, a premier showcase celebrating the best in educational design.

The school provides 14 classrooms for 252 students and includes administration offices, a community room and a clerestory-lit multi-purpose room at the cellar level. The interiors use a variety of materials that tie together common and classroom spaces with a soft yet vibrant color palette. The front yard setback provides space for outdoor play areas.

To shorten the construction duration, a reinforced concrete frame with architectural insulated precast wall panels were chosen for their ability to be rapidly constructed and erected.

The building is a Certified NYC Green School, equivalent or greater than LEED for Schools Certification.

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The 4,575-square foot pool is located in a campus building on Harrison Street and the West Side Highway in lower Manhattan. “We performed extensive aesthetic and infrastructure renovations to the 10,500-square foot facility, including work on the steampipe network and the concrete structural system underneath the pool,” stated Kevin G. Harney, Stalco’s Principal and CFO.

While the pool was taken out of service during construction, the team was working during the school year (as well as over holidays) in an occupied building on a busy college campus within a crowded city. Thus, security of access and construction safety were of the utmost importance. “First, we completely fenced off the entire construction area, making sure students and faculty could not enter the site. The next step was to remove two large 5’x12′ windowpanes from the pool area on the Harrison Street side. With this, we created independent access to the construction area,” said Stalco’s Christopher Caulfield, a superintendent on the project. The Stalco team was careful to ensure that this independent access did not interfere with foot traffic.

In addition to Stalco, the project team included construction manager AECOM; the architect and engineer of record was MP Engineers & Architects; Genesys Engineering P.C. was the mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) engineer; Eldor Contracting Corporation was the electrical contractor; Premier Mechanical Services, Inc. served as mechanical contractor; ARA Plumbing Corporation was the plumbing contractor; Norberto Pools served as the pool contractor; and the waterproofing and tile work subcontractor was Baybrent Tile Corporation.

The scope of work also included building a new staff office, mounting all-new diving platforms, renovating a storage room, and installing two new ADA-compliant S.R. Smith’s handicapped lifts to accommodate swimmers in wheelchairs. The lifts are individually operated with a system of button controls. The team installed a competition-level timing system with touchpads, by Colorado Time.

For the most part, the lighting above the pool remains the same. “We cleaned and, where necessary, repaired the existing fixtures, which are long tubular lights designed for installation over difficult-to-access areas,” said Adele Todisco, Stalco’s assistant project manager. The lighting sources are located on both ends of the long tubes, while a series of mirrors and diffusers in the middle portion of the tube serve to spread the light throughout. Maintenance workers simply access the lighting sources at each end from the walkways around the pool when bulbs need to be changed. However, the team did install a new array of emergency lights.

Headquartered in Islandia, N.Y., with a regional office in New York City, Stalco Construction, Inc. is a full-service general contracting and construction management firm active in the Greater New York area and on Long Island. Building Design & Construction magazine recently ranked Stalco as the 101st largest general contractor and the 59th largest construction manager in the United States.

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NEW YORK — Mayor Bill de Blasio, Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen, Council Member Rafael Espinal and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams have broken ground on a new school facility in East New York. The new state-of-the-art building will provide 1,000 seats for pre-K through eighth grade students, and will open for the 2020-2021 school year.

“For too long in our city, developers wrote the rules while government stood on the sidelines and caused working people to become displaced and many neighborhoods to go underserved,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We believe every zip code deserves high-quality education and are proud to deliver on our promise to the people of East New York with this new state of the art school, which will provide enough seats for future generations to come.”

The NYC school system is the largest school district in the U.S., with over 1.1 million students currently enrolled across the city’s five boroughs: Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. Brooklyn boasts the largest student enrollment across all five boroughs, with a total of 342,622 students reported in the 2017-2018 school year. As of September 2017 there were reportedly 1,843 schools within the city’s Department of Education.

Located at 3269 Atlantic Avenue, the building will be fully ADA-accessible and will include two state-of-the-art science labs, a gymnasium and two exercise rooms, occupational therapy and physical therapy spaces, two art rooms, a music room with sound-proof practice space, a 1,000-square-foot rooftop greenhouse, funded by Council Member Espinal, and a school yard with a basketball court, play equipment, and benches and trees. The playground will reportedly be open to the public during non-school hours.

“This new state-of-the-art-building will be a remarkable asset to Brooklyn students and families,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “I thank our partners for their collaboration, and look forward to seeing students here in just two years. We’re continuing to invest in high-quality schools and school buildings that give students the resources and opportunities they need to succeed.”

The new school construction is due in part to the East New York Neighborhood Plan, a comprehensive plan designed to promote affordable housing and economic development. The plan was developed through a years-long, robust community planning process which involved close collaboration with residents, stakeholders and elected officials — and that commits $267 million in capital projects and services for East New York residents.

The elementary and middle school is among the most important commitments made to the East New York community as part of the plan, which was adopted by the City Council in 2016. According to the plan, construction of the new 1,000-seat school will alleviate school overcrowding and provide for a growing population.

“This new state-of-the-art school building will bring excitement and vibrancy to all students who come through these doors,” said Lorraine Grillo, President and CEO of the NYC School Construction Authority. “This new space will include all the amenities we expect in a world class educational facility and we are proud to be bringing this school to East New York.”

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Yes, yes and yes thanks to an ambitious effort to further sustainability efforts in New York City and it’s NYC Zero Waste Challenge, an initiative from the NYC Mayor’s Office that encourages waste-generating businesses to strive to reach zero waste to landfill and incineration. , a progressive university with its main campus in New York City, has constructed a 16-story LEED Gold–certified University Center (UC). To date, the center is the only college or university to participate in the the NYC Zero Waste Challenge.

The center first opened in January 2014 and was then one of the most green-friendly academic institutions in the nation. Two years later, the NYC Mayor’s Office invited The New School to participate in its Zero Waste Challenge.

“Achieving the city’s ambitious climate change agenda will require meeting our zero waste goals. The Zero Waste Challenge has proven to be a successful way to highlight effective actions to reduce waste, diverting over 36,000 tons of waste. This should inspire every New Yorker to do their part and commit to sending zero waste to landfill,” said Daniel Zarrilli, senior director for Climate Policy and Programs and Chief Resilience Officer for the Office of the Mayor, in a statement issued when the challenge was first issued.

As part of the challenge, The New School contributed data and other valuable feedback to the city, documenting its experience as a multibuilding campus and the vicissitudes of its various waste streams, according to a post on The University Network .

The university has also retrofitted signs on campus disposal receptacles that better identify where recyclables, compostables and materials intended for the landfill should be tossed. Additionally, the university launched a program dubbed “Good As New,” which is a “a reuse and waste reduction initiative that encourages all New School students to donate reusable school supplies and materials at the end of each semester so that these items stay out of landfills and can be used by other students in the future,” according to the school’s website.

In all, the UC enjoys about 360,000 square feet of floor space, which includes classrooms, a cafeteria and a cafe in addition to a 600-student residence hall and a 800-seat auditorium. It boasts smart lighting and climate systems throughout, a cogeneration plant and is topped by a green roof. The university’s investments are also green, as it entirely divested from fossil fuels, which required shedding all related investments, stocks and bonds.

The New School will also deepen its green-themed efforts this-coming May 2018 when the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School will partner with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives in hosting the Design, Justice, and Zero Waste Conference and Research Collaborative. The goal of the partnership is to address the impact of production, consumption and waste on environmental justice communities, workers and vulnerable populations.

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