Visitors to P.S. 70Q, located in the Queens neighborhood of Astoria, are now greeted by a contemporary new addition to a vintage public school and local landmark built in 1922. The striking façade is distinguished by a crimson brick base which recalls the adjacent row houses that characterize the surrounding neighborhood. Above the base and set back is a playful wall of undulating light-colored brick with expansive classroom windows accentuated by ribbons of sun shading. The overall composition presents a gracious and welcoming new face that is appropriately scaled to the neighborhood.
Passing through the school’s new entrance, one is greeted by an airy, light-filled lobby. Walking past the administrative offices, the sense of pride, shared by students, administrators, faculty, and even visiting parents, is palpable. The addition, which provides additional space for the Pre-K through 5 student body of over 400, includes classrooms, art and music rooms, a gymnasium, staff offices and support space, and replaces temporary classrooms in modular buildings and trailers used as a stopgap measure to accommodate recent growth. The addition was the product of a longstanding collaboration between the New York City School Construction and the architectural firm RKTB.