STV recently marked a significant milestone with the completion of a new addition to P.S. 253K, the Magnet School of Multicultural Humanities, in Brooklyn, NY.
The project builds upon the school’s ability to act as a welcoming and inspiring place for young learners. With bright, naturally lit classrooms and uplifting interiors, the new addition creates an environment tailored to foster creativity and curiosity.
Located on a 1.8-acre site in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach neighborhood, P.S. 253K serves 860 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. On behalf of the New York City School Construction Authority (NYCSCA), STV provided complete architectural and engineering design services for the school’s $54 million expansion, which increases the school’s capacity by approximately 400 seats.
STV’s design introduces a new 55,894-square-foot, four-story addition that houses 14 regular classrooms and 6 specialty teaching spaces, including STEM, art and music rooms; a 250-seat cafeteria, equipped with a full commercial kitchen; as well as staff offices and mechanical spaces. A two-story lobby with a monumental staircase creates a light-filled, contemporary public entrance to the school. In collaboration with the NYCSCA’s Public Art for Public Schools, STV’s design incorporated a large, custom glass artwork depicting an array of flowers blossoming across the vestibule windows. The expansion also provides a new landscaped outdoor play area that offers inviting, child-friendly spaces to encourage movement and play.
In designing the addition, STV’s team addressed unique challenges, including its location within a constricted urban footprint, all while adhering to NYCSCA’s strict budget and design standards. These standards demand a cost-effective approach to every aspect of building planning, from layout and materials to structural and HVAC systems, with detailed cost analyses at each design phase. STV’s adherence to these guidelines, paired with a creative design approach, successfully delivered a functional, constructible, on-budget building.
STV also met the challenge of maximizing playground space on the facility’s constricted site. A strategic interior layout, dividing the addition into two wings – a four-story classroom wing and an extended cafeteria – also allowed STV to optimize the outdoor space, subdividing it into a larger area for older students and a smaller, dedicated space for younger kids.
The design follows the requirements set forth in the New York City Green Schools Guide and incorporates highly insulated exterior construction, efficient mechanical and electrical systems and roof-mounted solar panels. In addition, the facility’s location within a flood zone – just three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean – required STV’s design team to develop extensive flood-protection measures. The design elevates the new addition approximately 10 feet above the surrounding grade and places key mechanical equipment at least one foot above the flood elevation. STV also designed the new building’s entry lobby and adjacent spaces to meet wet flooding requirements and designed the new building’s floors to align with the existing building’s floor elevations. The addition’s pre-cast exterior skin seamlessly replicates the original building’s brick façade, preserving architectural continuity across the site.
Maintaining school operations during construction required close collaboration between STV and NYCSCA to develop a detailed site safety plan and a phased construction schedule. In phase one, the contractor removed temporary classroom units (TCUs) and modified egress by installing temporary exits. Phase two focused on the construction of the new classroom wing and cafeteria extension. The third and final phase, almost underway, centers on renovations to the existing building.
Late last summer, STV hosted a walk-through of the new addition with key leaders from the city. NYCSCA President and CEO Nina Kubota, New York City Public Schools officials and New York City Councilmember Inna Vernikov (District 48) joined STV field representative Jack Madura and design lead Harris Feinn for a guided tour of the newly completed structure. The addition was officially occupied in time for the start of the new school year in early September.
With the addition now complete, the next phase of the project scope – also designed by STV – includes ADA accessibility upgrades, renovations and reconfigurations to the existing circa-1936 building. This phase is set to enter construction soon and will further enhance the functionality and inclusivity of the school, ensuring it meets the needs of students and staff for years to come.
