Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver waded into the controversial Lower Manhattan school zoning issue last week by supporting Option 3R.
“I believe that Option 3R not only has the support of most Lower Manhattan families but will also best serve our four local schools by building strong, cohesive communities around them,” Silver said in his Jan. 22 letter to the District 2 Community Education Council. But the C.E.C. voted for Option 2 at its meeting Jan. 27.
Option 3R had support in the Seaport, Financial District, Battery Park City and east Tribeca, while Option 2 is supported in south and northwest Tribeca. Community Board 1 voted for Option 2.
Silver’s district covers only the sections of Lower Manhattan that support Option 3R. Other local elected officials, whose districts include both Option 3R and Option 2 supporters, did not pick a side.
Both sides voiced concerns about children crossing West St. While Silver mentioned those safety concerns in his letter, he named only one specific crossing, at W. Thames St., where he wants the city to build a new bridge. He did not specifically mention the Chambers St. and Warren St. crossings, which many south Tribeca parents were concerned about had Silver’s preferred option been picked. Under this option, south Tribeca children would have been zoned for P.S. 89, which is across West St. in Battery Park City.
— Julie Shapiro
