Driving in the Bronx can at times be a nightmare, especially near Yankee Stadium. But traffic in that area could get even worse with a new school possibly coming to River Avenue in a few years, causing concern for the local community board.
On March 7, representatives from Success Academy presented to the Bronx Community Board 4 Housing and Land Use Committee its plans to put a new campus at 586 River Ave., in the Concourse section of the Bronx.
The 6-story school would be constructed on a 300,000–square-foot lot located five minutes from Yankee Stadium. The facility, which would open for the 2025-2026 school year, would be kindergarten through 12th grade and serve 2,400 kids.
Success Academy currently operates eight schools in the Bronx, and 47 total schools throughout New York City.
“We believe this facility will be a neighborhood treasure,” said Alan Washington, executive operations and real estate at Success Academy charter schools.
Zoned for manufacturing, the property would need approval from the city Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA). Currently, there is a storage facility at the site, which would be demolished and a small school, the New York City Children’s Center that provides mental health services, which would be relocated.
While the community board was in favor of bringing in a new charter school, many expressed concerns that it would cause more traffic on an already congested roadway.
“We have a dire need for housing and education, but everyone one of those activities brings in traffic,” said Jackson Strong, chairman of the CB4 Housing and Land Use Committee.
Strong said there must be a plan to combat the traffic the school would bring.
Fellow board members Zonia Ortiz and Vice Chair Marie McCullough shared his sentiments.
“I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like with a school with 2,400 kids,” McCullough said. “Thank God you don’t have school buses.”
Washington assured the board that he and his colleagues are taking their concerns seriously and will conduct a thorough traffic study. If BSA approves the plan, there will be more of a formal timeline about demolition and construction, and they will return to the board with more details.
“We’re trying to make sure we don’t have congestion,” Washington said. “These are the questions (regarding traffic) we are really pushing out to our team to make sure we have a solid plan in place.”
Reach Jason Cohen at jcohen@schnepsmedia.com or (718) 260-4598. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
