Francis Lewis High School, Long Overcrowded, To Get 555 New Seats

FRESH MEADOWS, QUEENS — Construction began Thursday on a 555-seat expansion of Francis Lewis High School, the most overcrowded school in the city.

The annex will include 18 new classroom spaces, a culinary arts room, a science lab, a greenhouse and locker rooms. It will be fully accessible and air-conditioned.

Artwork by contemporary artist Bryan Zanisnik will decorate the new facility under the School Construction Authority's "Public Art for Public Schools" program.

"In 1960, Francis Lewis opened to alleviate overcrowding at other Queens high schools," Lorraine Grillo, president of the School Construction Authority, said in a statement. "Now, it’s time to meet the increasing demand for seats as our communities continue to grow and prosper."

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The Fresh Meadows high school's student population is more than double its maximum capacity, with about 4,500 students, according to school officials.

The annex is part of the School Construction Authority's $1.9 billion effort to add thousands of seats to Queens' notoriously overcrowded schools by 2020.