PROSPECT HEIGHTS — The School Construction Authority has identified the site for a new elementary and middle school expected to be built in the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park development starting next summer, officials said.
The new 616-seat school would be located in a yet-to-be-built residential tower on the northeast corner of Sixth Avenue and Dean Street, according to a public notice from the School Construction Authority and a representative from the state, who announced the selection this week at a construction update meeting.
The developers of the project, Greenland Forest City Partners, agreed in 2009 to build a school for the city as a part of the 22-acre development, but had not previously settled on its exact location.
"A public school has long been an integral part of the community benefits of Pacific Park Brooklyn," said project spokeswoman Ashley Cotton in a statement. "A school is more than a public space. It is an anchor that helps establish the fabric of a community."
Work on the building will begin in summer of 2016, according to the developer. The school is located within Brooklyn’s District 13.
The plan still needs final approval from the SCA, City Council and the mayor's office. Residents are encouraged to provide feedback during the 45-day public comment period beginning May 15.
Ideas and concerns can be mailed or emailed to the SCA, the agency's notice said. Additionally, residents can attend a public hearing held by Community Board 8's education committee on Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. at 520 Prospect Pl., according to committee co-chairwoman Sharon Wedderburn.
The school and the residential building in which it will be located, known as building “B15” in plans for the Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park project, are set to replace five separate properties. Four of those — a commercial building on Sixth Avenue and three townhouses on Dean Street — are currently being seized through eminent domain by the state.
