New P.S. 191 School Building to Open September 2017

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The Riverside Center School, designed to be P.S. 191's new home, will open nearly a year ahead of schedule in September 2017, the mayor announced Wednesday. The new school — located on West End Avenue between West 60th and 61st streets — will seat 692 Upper West Side students in pre-K through eighth grade starting in the 2017-2018 school year.

"A new school is an investment like no other — it is an investment in the future of New York City. I’m proud that with a tremendous amount of hard work from the School Construction Authority, we’ll provide this state of the art building a full year ahead of schedule,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio in the announcement. “All our students and teachers deserve the best — and that’s what we’re giving them. We are committed to continue identifying new locations for additional seats across the City to deliver a high-quality education to students in every borough."

The official announcement that the building will be ready for the 2017-2018 school year sheds some light on the district's current school rezoning plans. In July, the district's Community Education Council presented two separate zoning plans that would redraw school attendance lines in order to decrease overcrowding and increase equality in neighborhood public schools.

Both plans proposed that P.S. 191 should be moved into the new Riverside Center School building, but the plans diverged on what to do with the building currently housing P.S. 191.

Draft Scenario A

• Would create a new elementary school to occupy the building vacated by P.S. 191
• Would redraw zones for six existing elementary schools: P.S. 191, P.S. 199, P.S. 452, P.S.87, P.S. 9 and P.S.166
• Would span from West 60th Street to West 90th Street

Draft Scenario B

• Would move P.S. 452 into the building vacated by P.S. 191 in order to give 452 its own building and promote growth within the school
• Would redraw zones for 11 existing elementary schools: P.S. 191, P.S. 199, P.S. 452, P.S.87, P.S. 9, P.S.166, P.S. 84, P.S.75, P.S.163, P.S.145 and P.S.165
• Would span West 60th Street to West 116th Street

Both draft scenarios clearly depend on the ability of P.S. 191 to move into its new building.

"The accelerated construction timeline will ensure Upper West Side families have a brand new space with amenities including facilities dedicated to music and science,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña in the announcement. “The new school will provide an additional high-quality option for families in the district, and I commend the SCA on their dedication to ensuring this project is completed as soon as possible."

The new Riverside Center School building offers a major upgrade over P.S. 191's current facility. The 122,000-square-foot space will be air-conditioned, disability-friendly and will have wireless internet access. The building will also feature art and music rooms, two rooftop recreational spaces, a library, a science lab, a medical suite and a gym.

“Our students, teachers and parents are extremely excited by the prospect of calling this wonderful new building our home,” said P.S. 191 Principal Lauren Keville in a statement. “This facility would empower our students with vast and incredible resources, it would help grow our student body and school community, and it would encourage learning on a new level.”

[Photo: Google Maps street view circa September 2015]