Condo Growth Imperils Schools
The Gotham Gazette reports on an unforeseen downside to the condo boom: too many students suddenly flooding a fragile system. “The influx of students threatens to undermine the quality of nearby schools — often the very thing that helped attract young families in the first place,” they write. Schools are overcrowded, and the more attractive…
The Gotham Gazette reports on an unforeseen downside to the condo boom: too many students suddenly flooding a fragile system. “The influx of students threatens to undermine the quality of nearby schools — often the very thing that helped attract young families in the first place,” they write. Schools are overcrowded, and the more attractive an area becomes, the more its land values increase, creating even more of a school-building quagmire. Brooklyn neighborhoods where population growth is expected to exceed school growth include DUMBO, Downtown Brooklyn and Sunset Park. They write, “Some 3,000 new apartments are being planned for an area around one school in DUMBO — PS 287 — but the department has no plans for any new schools in the area, according to the comptroller.”
The Three C’s: Condos, Classrooms and Crowding [Gotham Gazette]
school bus lot. Photo by limonada.
New York City doubled in population from 1900 to 1950. From 1900 to 1910, the population increased by 39% (!). In those days, public schools did their job remarkably well.
The US Census Bureau estimates the population of the city increased by 3.6% since 2000. That is a growth rate far below the national average.
The only thing this proves is the government of New York City is completely incapable of dynamic leadership. The city only limps along because a century ago, devoted citizens and civil servants built almost everything we need for a functional city.
Lechacal:
PS 321 has room to grow. Put another floor on that 2-story building and your problem is solved.
Cobblehook;
I cannot understand what you mean by this statement:
“I am pro much needed affordable housing ,but against reckless, not needed luxury condos- there is simply not a luxury condo shortage crisis in this city.”
What are you suggesting – that the city not allow private housing development that individuals are willing to buy with their own money? The city has removed the tax abatements for new development in this area, so that is no longer an issue. Who has the right to tell any private owner not to develop their property in accordance with the zoning laws?
What do you mean by “not needed”? As far as I can see (I live right in the middle of all these new condo developments around 2nd St. and 4th Ave.) all of these newly-built units are occupied, be they owned or rented. What is the basis of your judgment? Are you advocating that we go knock on the doors of these new units, and tell these folks that they really don’t need to live there?
All of the folks (myself included) who bought these new units paid a hefty amount of tax to the city at the closing. If there is a lack of school facilities in the area, you can’t blame these developments. The city took quite a bite out of their wallet when they moved in, and now they should upgrade the surrounding infrastructure.
I just don’t get the point of your post at all.
cobblehook – with condos selling north of $600 a sq ft, in vast tracts of this city how can you say that there is not a shortage of such housing?
Additionally just because you have 2 children in PS 29 and (you think) it is crowded doesnt mean that a larger school is needed or that new development will push it over capacity. People are not dogs – I do not expect that you will be having another litter of children during you next cycle….so unless you are moving immediately after your kids graduate PS 29 that will be 2 spots available within 5yrs – and you are not alone – Cobble Hill is mostly older housing stock.
I think Mayor Mike & Co (as you derisively call him) – should be quite proud that the PROBLEM you are complaining about is that too many successful upper middle class people are choosing to send their kids to public schools. [Even if it will not be nearly the problem you predict]
I say that much of this is (another) attempt by people (short sighted morons IMHO) to attack development – i.e. the majority of these people could give a $hit about crowding in public schools – they just will say and do anything to prevent new construction.
I have 2 children at PS 29 People say the school is “not overcrowded” and still has “room to grow” but to me the numbers are almost at the limit- they just took the teachers break room and turned it into a classroom.
Why does Mayor Mike & Co. believe in pushing everything to the limit?
The break things and then spend years trying to fix them.
I am pro much needed affordable housing ,but against reckless, not needed luxury condos- there is simply not a luxury condo shortage crisis in this city. A majority of folks buying these condos figure on sending their kids to public schools because they are carrying such high mortgage payments.
While overcrowding may occur – in established neighborhoods like PS – you have to recognize that the 1st and 2nd wave of gentrifies often have kids that are PAST school age – while many people resell to youngish couples (plenty of older parents in PS) – the vast majority of houses north of 5th were ‘gentrified’ decades ago and are often owned by people whose kids are in HS or older.
Additionally while 3,000 units sounds like a lot, in terms of school age kids…it may not amount to nearly as many as you think….studios and 1brs (majority) generally have zero or only infant children, and even in the larger apts are not all bought by families. Additionally all the kids will not be the exact same age (thereby dividing up the kids into different classes and sometimes schools), plus some will go to private school and others will move to the suburbs (still a popular choice.)
All I am saying is that the potential problem is way overblown, and really a good one to have.
Screw the kids… luckily the Apocalypse is coming and the 4 horsemen will take care of it all. Who needs school?
(It would be interesting to find out if school capacity even entered the murky little brains of the bureaucrats that approve building permits in this city. These permits aren’t to build a deck or convert a 1-family into a duplex… these are 10, 20, 50 unit buildings!!)
Cobblehook is right. This is a perfectly obvious side effect. Just for example, anyone buying into new condos on 4th Ave with the expectation that their kids will go to PS 321 is delusional. The condo flips on 2nd Street between 4th and 5th are also risky in my view. Just look at the school, look a the number of kids coming through the pipeline, look at the number of new units, and do some math. It’s no mystery that people are going to get cut out of 321, and I guarantee it’s going to start with new condos on 4th Ave.
According to a news story several months ago, all of the places for kindergarten were taken up in a school district in or around TriBeCa. Imagine that, showing up to enroll your child in kindergarten and being told that there were no more seats available in the classroom? What a shame for everyone. :^(
An “unforeseen downside” are you kidding? Anyone with half a brain saw this coming.