Saturday, May 17, 2008

Costly overhaul for Rockaway school

Education officials yesterday released a bid to soundproof a Queens high school that sits under the flight path to JFK Airport - for a whopping $52 million.

FLIGHT PLAN: $52 MIL FOR QUIET CLASS

The project is scheduled to provide new windows, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and exterior work to the Rockaway Park building that houses Beach Channel HS and Channel View School of Research, education officials said.

State and federal transportation administrators - whose agencies are footing the bill under a 25-year-old noise-reduction program - said the schools had asked to be part of the program sometime before 2000, the year the allocations were first approved.

But many students currently attending the schools seemed perplexed by such a costly overhaul.

"Airplanes aren't a problem," said 14-year-old Jocelin Conpos about engine roar at Channel View.

"I've never heard an airplane in my life," added 10th-grader Michael Naraiswar, 16, who also attends Channel View.

Beach Channel principal David Morris declined to comment.


Photo from NY Times

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It doesn't cost $52M to build a new school, but it takes that much to refurbish it? Please...