As parents in the PS 199 zone we are strongly opposed to the NYC DOE and ECF’s proposed demolition of our neighborhood public elementary school at 270 West 70th Street.

We are highly concerned about the lack of input the DOE has solicited from PS199 parents about the proposed demolition of PS 199. We deserve and demand information and an active voice in these discussions to ensure that the pressing education and infrastructure needs of our community are met. This must happen before any decisions to demolish our school are made.

We believe that the needs of the community can be solved with less disruption, less impact on infrastructure, less destruction of treasured property, less trampling of the public trust through the unwarranted sale of public assets, if the DOE focused on utilizing empty spaces or building new schools instead of tearing down and rebuilding functional schools. There may be times when demolishing and rebuilding a school is the right thing to do, but PS 199 is not a convincing case.

First and foremost the DOE needs to explain why demolishing functional schools is a better option than using some of the following empty school sites that would not cause great disruption nor take away seats from a district currently in crisis: Beacon High School; 80 WEA; St Agnes School 555 WEA; and Holy Name School.

Additionally, the DOE, together with other appropriate city agencies and elected officials should conduct a full assessment of current and future educational needs, neighborhood infrastructure requirements, neighborhood housing needs, and openly engage the community before taking any decision to demolish operational schools and ultimately increasing the student population with a new high rise.