New Public Middle School Coming to 63rd Street and 14th Avenue

By Y.M. Lowy

A new public middle-school building is taking shape on 14th Avenue between 63rd and 64th Streets.

The four-story building at 6303 14th Avenue is being constructed by the NYC School Construction Authority and is expected to be ready for the 2027-2028 school year. According to the DOE, the building will have capacity for 461 students in grades 6 through 8.

The building will become a second location for The Christa McAuliffe School, also known as I.S. 187, which currently operates at 1171 65th Street, about a half-mile away. The plan is intended to address overcrowding at the existing school, which currently serves 919 students in a building designed for 862.

The proposal would introduce a fourth academy, called the Academy of Urban Design, at the new location. Students would explore how cities are designed and built, beginning with design fundamentals in sixth grade and moving into engineering or urban planning in seventh and eighth grades. Students would also develop a portfolio and complete a final design project.

The new academy would include an Autism Nest program, providing an inclusive middle-school setting for autistic students. The DOE says District 20 currently has two Autism Nest programs at the elementary level but only one at the middle-school level, meaning some students must seek placements outside the district.

The new building is planned to include a library, science room, art room, music room, gymnatorium, exercise room, dining room and kitchen. 

The plan is not yet approved. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, November 16, at 6 p.m. and will be held online at LearnDOE.org/districtplanning. Members of the public can also submit comments by emailing D20Proposals@schools.nyc.gov or calling 212-374-0208.

If approved, the new building is scheduled to begin serving students in September 2027.