State Senator Martin J. Golden, a member of the State Senate Education Committee, joined IS 259 Principal Janice Geary, District 20 Superintendent Karina Costantino, District 20 Community Education Council President Laurie Windsor, and local elected officials in the ceremonial construction groundbreaking of the extension to be built in the school yard of William McKinley Junior High School, 7301 Fort Hamilton Parkway.
Golden wrote to officials of the New York City School Construction Authority in 2004 requesting a feasibility study to consider an extension for IS 259 to alleviate the severe overcrowding conditions. The feasibility study was approved and construction has begun to build 433 new classroom seats at IS 259.
Golden and Assemblyman Peter Abbate, with their colleagues in New York State Legislature, approved $7.51 billion, with $1.8 billion for capital construction, in the 2007-2008 State budget for New York City public schools. This funding in part, with money from the City of New York totaling $13.1 billion, will pay for the construction of this extension.
Golden, at that time, had also requested feasibility studies at New Utrecht High School and Public School 229, which are both currently under construction for extensions.
Throughout his tenure as a member of the New York City Council, Golden sought innovative solutions to address the overcrowding issue in District 20. He worked with Verizon and the Department of Education to arrange a lease agreement that saw more than 20 new classrooms, which were offices, moved into a closed telephone company property at 415 89th Street. This site also includes the Pre-K classes of PS 104.
