Ground Zero Neighborhood First Green School

Ground Zero Neighborhood First Green School



November 2007 
 New York City is poised to 
build its first green school near the site of the 9/11 terrorist attacks 
on the World Trade Center, now the fastest growing residential 
neighborhood in New York. 
The environmentally sustainable school will be constructed in the Battery 
Park City area of Lower Manhattan on land donated by the state, officials 
said Tuesday. 
The state is providing the last vacant building site in Battery Park City 
at no cost to the city to begin building the new school. The land will be 
made available through the Battery Park City Authority, which owns the 
site. 
Announcing the new green school, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and Mayor 
Michael Bloomberg said a booming residential population in Lower Manhattan 
has created a high need for additional school space in the area. 

 
"Lower Manhattan has become a premier residential destination, and that 
trend has also placed a toll on its public schools," said Governor 
Spitzer. "The donation of this land for a new elementary-middle school 
will ease overcrowding in Lower Manhattan classrooms and improve overall 
education conditions by providing students with a healthy sustainable 
environment where they learn and thrive." 
The new 950 seat school will serve pre-kindergarten through the eighth 
grades, and will include 100 seats for special education students. 
Mayor Bloomberg said, "This new facility, part of our $13.1 billion 
capital plan to reduce classroom overcrowding and to modernize our 
schools, will also be the first green school building in keeping with our 
commitment to incorporate energy saving measures such as increased 
insulation and the use of natural light. 
"Not only will the students have a state-of-the-art learning facility, but 
they will also be learning in environmentally friendly surroundings," the 
mayor said. 
Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said, "It is inspiring that so 
many parents are choosing to raise their kids in a neighborhood many 
thought might be abandoned after the 2001 terrorist attacks. I'm thrilled 
that we are building a new school to meet the needs of the many families 
who want to make this part of Manhattan their home." 
Construction of the school will adhere to environmental guidelines that 
will make it the first entirely green public school in New York City. The 
Battery Park City Authority is contributing $3 million to the School 
Construction Authority for additional green features. 
The school will reduce energy costs by at least 25 percent through the use 
of day lighting in all instructional rooms, energy-efficient lighting 
controlled by occupancy sensors, increased insulation in the exterior 
walls, high efficiency condensing boilers, Energy Star-equivalent 
equipment, carbon-dioxide sensors in large common spaces, and solar panels 
that convert sun light directly into electricity. 
High efficiency plumbing fixtures will conserve water by using 40 percent 
less drinkable water. 
Indoor air quality will be enhanced with construction materials that are 
mold-resistant and emit low levels of toxics. Construction materials will 
be at least 12 percent recycled content, and 80 percent of construction 
waste will be recycled. 
The school, which will be located at 55 Battery Place, will be fully 
air-conditioned and have 30 classrooms; a kitchen and cafeteria; medical 
suite; auditorium; library; wireless Internet access; art, science, and 
music rooms; a 5,400-square-foot gymnasium, and a 1,500-square-foot 
exercise room with rooftop educational and recreational spaces. 
The new school is being designed by Dattner Architects. Construction is 
scheduled to begin in June 2008 and to be completed in time for classes in 
September 2010. 

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