NYC Council meetings, chaptered and linked by time.
Created by Uzair Qadir
Inspired by Vikram Oberoi's City Meetings
New York City Council
Landmarks, Public School 15 Annex, Brooklyn (N 260340 HIK)
Read summaries and jump into the video at the segment start.
Roderick Palton opens the hearing of the Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Sitings, Resiliency and Dispositions, reminds attendees to silence devices and not approach the dais.
Councilmember Kamillah Hanks, acting as chair in place of Chair Marte, welcomes attendees and introduces colleagues Avilés, Nurse, Thomas-Henry, Ossé, and Encarnación present at the hearing.
Hanks outlines the hybrid meeting format, remote registration via the council website, in-person speaker cards, written testimony submission via email, and rules prohibiting audio/video testimony and recordings from the witness table.
Hanks opens the pre-considered LU item for an approximately 801-seat high school facility with D75 program at 25 Wall Street in Staten Island, noting the site is a 46,096 sq ft parking lot in Councilmember Hanks' district, and introduces the SCA panel.
Council staff administers the affirmation to panelists Roderick Palton, Jane Martinez-Dowling, and Andrea Bender, who affirm to tell the truth.
Andrea Bender of the NYC School Construction Authority presents the proposed 801-seat high school annex to Curtis High School, describing the site at 25 Wall Street, the current parking lot, and the project's purpose to relieve overcrowding at Curtis, which has a 127% utilization rate.
Bender walks through the statutory site selection process under Section 1731, publication of notices in fall 2025, and public hearings held by Community Board 1 and the Citywide Council on High Schools, with all comments considered.
Bender presents photos of the existing site, describes anticipated facilities including classrooms, D75 rooms, gymatorium, library, play yard, and a planned expansion of Curtis's nursing program by up to 100 seats, with opening anticipated in 2031.
Marte asks how the proposed school aligns with the 2022 class size reduction law. Bender and Dr. Palton explain the annex will spread Curtis's existing population across two buildings to relieve overcrowding and address 28 overcrowded classrooms.
Marte asks about average student travel distance and transportation impacts. Palton notes the site is about three walking blocks from the main Curtis building; Bender adds the building will be fully accessible and SCA works with DOT on safe drop-off and busing.
Hanks gives an extended statement supporting the project, emphasizing overcrowding relief, expansion of the nursing program as a healthcare workforce pipeline, acknowledgment of density and parking concerns, and thanks to SCA, planning staff, and her interns.
Encarnación asks whether capital needs of the existing Curtis building will be addressed through the new build. Bender explains SCA typically inventories existing building needs and would address them after the new building opens to minimize disruption.
Hanks asks whether the Curtis principal supports the expansion and whether SCA will commit programmatic resources to the nursing program. Palton confirms the principal is supportive and commits to adding 100 nursing seats by the annex's opening, growing from 345 to 445 students.
Marte excuses the SCA panel. Counsel reports no public sign-ups, and Marte closes the public hearing on the 801-seat high school facility at 25 Wall Street, Staten Island.
Marte opens the pre-considered LU item for HPD's amendment to Resolution 946 (2019) for the East Harlem/El Barrio CLT project, changing commercial spaces to community facility spaces across four buildings in Council Districts 8 and 9, and introduces the HPD panel.
Council staff administers the affirmation to HPD panelists Justin Dolan, Anna Driscoll, and Ariel Rawlings, who affirm to tell the truth.
An HPD representative describes the four-building CLT cluster in East Harlem, explaining the request to convert two commercial spaces at 53 East 110th Street and 201 East 120th Street into community facility spaces and include them in the Article XI tax exemption area, with 38 rental units and three community facility spaces otherwise unchanged from the original project.
Encarnación states she has no questions and supports the change, having confirmed with HPD that the space remains viable for the Community Land Trust.
Marte excuses the HPD panel. With no public sign-ups, Marte closes the public hearing on the East Harlem/El Barrio Article XI amendment.
Marte announces the subcommittee will vote on the Curtis High School Annex, three LPC landmark designations (PS 15 Annex, Church of St. Mary's, Lithuanian Alliance Building), the 511 West 171st Street ANCP Cluster UDAAP and Article XI tax exemption, and the East Harlem/El Barrio Article XI amendment.
Marte reads a statement on behalf of Councilmember De La Rosa expressing pride in supporting the renovations and cooperative conversion of the 511 West 171st Street Cluster, highlighting preservation of affordability, homeownership opportunities for working families, and generational wealth building.
Council staff conducts a roll call vote. Marte, Avilés, Hanks, Thomas-Henry, and Ossé vote aye on all items; Nurse's vote is not audibly recorded in the transcript.
Council staff announces the items are adopted by a vote of six in the affirmative, zero negative, zero abstentions, and referred to the full Land Use Committee. Marte thanks participants and adjourns the meeting.