Zoning Changes in Transit District Have potential to Create Need for a new Elementary School in White Plains–Or Two

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS TOMORROW. By John F. Bailey:

With the recent zoning changes to the Transit District in the public hearing last week, a heads-up is in order for the White Plains City School District to pay attention to the possibilities of what 5,000 apartments on track to be constructed in the next five years.

The sites are on Westmoreland Avenue; at the White Plains Pavilion site (now demolished); on the site of the White Plains Mall, at 55 Bank Street (probably due to open next fall); at the corner of Mamaroneck and East Post Road; at Hamilton Avenue and North Broadway; on the former Good Council property on North Broadway, and on the Grid Properties site on the former Sholz property; and a new apartment building recently started at Maple and DeKalb Avenues.

If 10% of those 5,000 apartments have one child after they move, that is 500 children all arriving in the district. You can see what happens if 20% have a new child, that  means1,000 elementary aged children in 5 to 10 years. 30% means, 1,500. If half the families moving into those 5,00 that is 2,500 students filling the elementary schools. The average elementary school in White Plains now is filled to the brim at 600 students. Unless the persons moving in have no children, let alone not bring any into the district, the district has to monitor the population trends as the apartments fill up.

The Westchester County birth rate per 1,000 of population as of 2013 was 11 births 1,000.  If 5,000 move into the new apartments, using that measure the district can expect 605 new kindergartners in the school system at the least. That’s a new school full of youngsters.

Common sense tells you the district has to start considering whether to expand the current elementary schools or build at least two new ones, or maybe three,  that is over a $100 Million in construction for three schools.

 

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