CB6 Approves Site for Maritime Middle School in Red Hook

RED HOOK, NY — Community Board 6 voted to approve the city's site choice to build a 640-seat maritime middle school on a stretch of Delavan Street occupied by two industrial buildings and a vacant lot.

The board nearly unanimously approved the plan to build the school, which would be a feeder to Governor's Island's New York Harbor School, at 21-31 Delavan St., bounded by Verona and Richards streets.

While all of the members said they wanted the school to come to Red Hook, some wanted to ask the city to make sure a traffic plan was in place to get students safely to and from the school before approval.

"I don't feel right saying, as it is right now, we hope for the best," said board chair Sayar Lonial at the meeting, who added he was in favor of the school but voted against the measure because of the lack of a transportation plan. "You can't choose a site without being people to get there or having a safe way to get there."

The proposed school would not just be open to only Red Hook residents but students across District 15 — which covers Park Slope, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Sunset Park, and Windsor Terrace — and members worried that lack of transportation options to the site might make it difficult for some to get there safely.

The vote was just for the selection of where the site would be, and the board asked the city to convene a committee of locals to give feedback throughout the design and construction processes.

The Schools Construction Authority's plans call to build the school on the 60,000 square-foot lot and it's estimated to open in 2022 if approved. It would have an indoor pool, a facility to build a boat inside and focus on preparing students for jobs in the maritime industry, the board said.

Residents might be strongly in favor of the site, but the lot's owner hasn't been willing to sell the parcel of land to the city. But the city could use eminent domain to forcefully take the land in the future.

Image: Schools Construction Authority