Parcel C or Parcel F – it really doesn’t matter

Last week came the announcement of a new school to be located along the waterfront on parcel C in Hunters Point South (TF Cornerstone Development).  Two months prior to that came the announcement of a new school to be built along the waterfront on the former site of the Water’s Edge restaurant.  Two weeks prior to that came the announcement that a new school would be built on parcel F in Hunters Point South, also located on the waterfront.

In summary, in the last ten weeks LIC received the news that it is expected to possibly get three new waterfront-located schools over the next four to six years.

That’s great, but somewhat bittersweet.  The battle for increased school capacity has been waged by parents for several years now, many of whom won’t be the beneficiaries of the new schools.  Though most ultimately were unscathed by the controversy, inasmuch as their child eventually received a seat in PS78, the uncertainty was unsettling, and may have motivated others to move out or not move to LIC in the first place.  Also, in the question-mark that is truncation, it was a factor in prompting some recent middle school parents to opt for the new middle school instead of sticking it out at 78.

In viewing the current situation, I can’t help but think that for every action there is at first a delayed response, and then inevitably an overreaction.  Since it’s been primarily parents along the waterfront who have been demanding schools now, that is where the schools have been going.  Yet any chess player can see that the next big need is closer to Court Square.  The powers that be completely screwed up in not insisting a school be placed in the base of 5Pointz.  In addition to being extremely well-situated to accommodate children from all parts of LIC, it would have been available in time for the school year beginning in 2018.  Instead the community received baubles in return for granting the developers a zoning variance allowing them to build an additional 28 stories.

That’s spilt milk today.  What is not is the need to: Continue reading →