Premium Content: Governors Island sees expansion of Harbor School, cementing its reputation as an environmental hub

GOVERNORS ISLAND — On Thursday, several New York City officials gathered to break ground on the expansion of the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School on Governors Island. The school provides a college preparatory education built on the city’s maritime experience with an emphasis on environmental stewardship, and the expansion is part of the Adams Administration’s Green Economy Action Plan.

“We’re laser-focused on preparing young New Yorkers for good-paying jobs of the future, and this historic expansion of the Harbor School will allow us to do just that,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “The additional classroom and training space will help us ensure that our kids benefit from the 400,000 green jobs our city will host by 2040. Harbor School graduates will work on the wind turbines that will power 500,000 homes in our city, invent green technologies that we can’t even imagine yet and more.”  

The Harbor School aims to prepare young New Yorkers for good-paying green jobs, and the expansion will double the school’s campus from two to four buildings and add new classrooms and amenities to support the school’s maritime and environmental curriculum. The amenities include a competition-size pool and gymnasium along with laboratories. 

“The expansion of the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School represents a bold step forward in our mission to provide students with unique, hands-on educational experiences that prepare them for successful futures,” said New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. “By doubling the campus size and enhancing the school’s facilities, we are not only enriching the academic journey but also fostering the next generation of environmental leaders and maritime experts right here in New York City.”