Project FAQ's

List of 11 frequently asked questions.

• Will construction occur on while my child is in school?

  Yes, but there will always be at least one floor of separation between school operations and construction.

• Will construction workers be walking through the building during school hours?

  No. they will use a separate entrance at 50 Cooper Square.

• Will there be noise from construction that will filter into the classroom?

  Yes, probably. Whenever there will likely be noise, we will notify the faculty in advance so plans can be adjusted accordingly.

• Have all of the asbestos and other toxic materials been removed?

  Yes, all asbestos has been abated, which was a pre-condition of receiving our building permit.

• If my child is a student in the grade school, how does this affect our family?

  Right away, 7th and 8th grade physical education classes will be held in the new gym, which will allow six more hours per week for younger students to use the gym at 86 4th Ave, having a cascading effect beyond that. The move of 7th and 8th grade classes will mean fewer PE classes in Tuttle Hall, freeing up that space for more classes, and in turn opening up other classrooms.
  
  The new gym will also give varsity and junior varsity athletics a home court for practice and games. That frees up space for middle school athletics and GASP to use the gym at 86th, which mean more home practices and games.
  
  Beyond the cascading effects of creating more space for programming, eventually, your child will be a student at the high school and will directly benefit from using the new space.

• What are some of the features of the new facility?

  The facility will include a new gym for basketball and volleyball with regulation courts that will allow us to host league playoff and state tournament games, which the gym at 86 4th Avenue does not allow. The new facility will also feature a fitness center, batting cage, golf simulator, reception area, offices for Physical Education teachers and Athletics Department staff, and expanded storage space.
  
  Bleacher seating on the main floor and in the balcony will accommodate 250 spectators - a dramatic increase from the 80 seats at the 86 Fourth Ave gym.
  
  The new space will allow a new robotics/design lab to be built in place of the current fitness center.

• When will the project be completed?

  The gym and other new facilities are scheduled to be up and running in September 2018.

• Will the street be blocked?

  The street will only be blocked on a few weekends when a steel delivery is made. A notice will be sent to our neighbors in advance.

• What is the cost of the project?

  Fifteen million dollars. We are in the process of raising funds from the community through the Campaign for the Future and are financing the construction.

• Does Grace need to get approval from the city to expand?

  Yes. Our plan requires approval of both the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and the NYC Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), which we received in the summers of 2014 and 2015, respectively.

• Can you tell me more about the space and the project?

  Since the initial stages of our plan to create the high school division, building a gym has always been a key step. One of the reasons we chose the Cooper Square building was because the footprint of the fourth floor and roof would allow us to create a regulation gym along with the other facilities that support athletics and physical education. The gym will not only expand programming, but will be a hub for school spirit whether students are cheering on the home team during a playoff game or gathering for community meeting.