By Tom Momberg
The city School Construction Authority plans to purchase the Bayside Jewish Center to build a new high school and relieve significant overcrowding in District 26 schools.
The Bayside Jewish Center at 203-05 32nd Ave. was listed for sale earlier this year. The congregation announced in February it would close its doors and possibly merge with another Conservative Synagogue due to declining membership and escalating building expenses.
The center could not be reached for comment.
After a long search for a new high school location in northeast Queens, the SCA is now finalizing its purchase agreement with the center to grab up new space for students in District 26, which the Department of Education estimated is short by about 3,400 seats.
City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) announced last week that the SCA is under contract to buy the new property, but that public concerns will be heard moving forward.
“There is no denying the overwhelming demand facing our district with regard to a long overdue high school for our students and community, but there is also never going to be a perfect place to build one,” Vallone said in a statement.
The Bayside Jewish Center could not be reached for comment.
The allocation of property for new schools in Bayside has been the topic of much controversy in the past.
The city pushed forward an unpopular plan in 2013 to build a new elementary school at the former Keil Bros. Garden Center, 210-11 48th Ave., which sparked immediate and continued opposition. The plan fell through the cracks even after the City Council approved the plan that November.
The plan sparked protest because the site is only blocks from MS 158 on Oceania Street and PS 31 on 46th Road and Bell Boulevard.
But the newly proposed high school at the Bayside Jewish Center is just four blocks from Bayside High School, on the opposite side of the Clearview Expressway – the same proximity as the previously proposed elementary school was to other schools.
Upon finalization of the purchase agreement with the Bayside Jewish Center, the SCA said an Environmental Impact Study would soon follow. The public review process would be conducted afterward, followed by a vote before the full City Council.
“As we continue our effort to reduce school overcrowding in Queens and throughout our city, we are fully engaging our partners to ensure ongoing dialogue on all aspects of this project as we move forward,” said city DOE Deputy Press Secretary Jason Fink. “We are happy to bring these much-needed school seats to Bayside.”
Vallone said it is critical to have Community Board 11 and district residents involved with the SCA during every step of the planning process to minimize the impact on the surrounding neighborhood.
“I will ensure that compromises are reached on features such as the scale of the school, recognizing local traffic concerns, the possibility of onsite parking and making sure that our students are given the priority to attend this new school,” Vallone said.
Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomb
