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SCA scraps plan to build a new high school in Bayside

By Tom Momberg

The city School Construction Authority has announced it would rescind its contract to purchase the Bayside Jewish Center along with its plans to build a 739-seat high school on the site, ending a controversy over which has been growing for months.

SCA President and CEO Lorraine Grillo issued a statement Tuesday making the announcement:

“In addition to building great schools that foster a welcoming environment for our students and families, we are laser focused on identifying appropriate locations to increase capacity in a city where space is at a premium,” Grillo said. “Unfortunately, we have been unable to reach a consensus with Bayside residents and local elected officials on our proposed development site for a new high school in their neighborhood. The proposal will not be moving forward; however, we remain committed to addressing overcrowding communities face.”

This comes after Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) wrote a letter Friday, asking the SCA to halt its proposal before it went to the City Council for a vote. State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) held a rally Saturday calling on Mayor Bill de Blasio to put a stop to the contract. But ultimately Grillo caved in to mounting community concerns.

Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomberg@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.