The new Grand Avenue Primary School (P.S.58) located at 72-50 Grand Avenue, Maspeth is beginning to take shape. The school has a construction cost of $43,759,000.

It will have a capacity of 985 students. The 3-story primary school will be fully air-conditioned, with a gross area of 120,650 square feet for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It will contains 35 standard classrooms, 4 special education classrooms, 7 citywide district 75 classrooms, one occupational training classroom, 1 citywide activities for daily living room and 2 citywide speech rooms. The auditorium (4000 sq. ft.) has a capacity of 315 and the cafeteria (4000 sq. ft.) has a capacity of 331. The school has a 2500 sq. ft. early childhood playground and general play area covering 32,400 sq. ft.

Specialty classrooms include a computer lab, 2 art rooms and a science resource room. The facility includes a 2100 sq. ft. library, 3300 sq. ft. gymnasium and an 1100 sq. ft. auxiliary gym/dance room.

Construction began October 2000 and the anticipated
opening school date is September 2002.

At a recent meeting with community leaders, the School Construction Authority revealed that parking will accommodate only two school buses and the entrance/exits for all students will be on Grand Avenue.

Those who attended the meeting, including JPCA president Bob Holden, were outraged that only two spots were allocated for school buses. Most felt Grand Avenue would suffer severe congestion with this plan.