After five years of being housed in portable trailers on the Queens College campus, PS/IS 499 moved to a new home in September 2004. This 120,000 square-foot lab school is now housed in an award-winning building. Lilker Associates provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering services. This 850-student primary/intermediate school is the second constructed by New York School Construction Authority using a super-structure comprised solely of structural reinforced concrete. The material was chosen for durability, cost savings, speed of construction and ability to combine with other materials to achieve a pleasing architectural presentation. The concrete frame of the building is inherently fireproof. The architectural concrete is fully exposed as the finish surface for the interior walls and ceilings.
