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.”  

The School Construction Authority (SCA) will also renovate Building 555 — a designated landmark structure built in 1938 — to create 32,000 square feet of additional classroom space. The planned projects will expand the school’s facilities and add 445 new seats, supported by funding from the New York City Council and the Manhattan Borough President’s Office. 

 “We’re proud to improve and build on the original vision for the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School and look forward to seeing how the expanded campus will empower these exceptional students to learn and expand their environmental stewardship,” SCA President and CEO Nina Kubota said.

The school’s expansion is part of Adams’ proposed “Harbor of the Future,” which envisions the city’s waterfront as a site of innovation and growth. Governors Island has been a primary site of environmental development, research and education. In September, the island served as a primary hub for Climate Week programming, during which the Adams Administration highlighted its efforts on Governors Island by developing the New York Climate Exchange program. At the time, First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer noted that the administration aims to host 400,000 green jobs by 2040 as part of the administration’s Green Economy Action Plan. 

“From the New York Climate Exchange to the expansion of the Harbor School, Governors Island is proof of New York City’s leadership in climate technology and education,” said Torres-Springer during the groundbreaking on the Harbor School. “The Harbor School’s new facilities and Governors Island more broadly continue to showcase how education, research and industrial development function together to bring good jobs to the five boroughs for the expanding climate tech industry.”  

New York City Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Andrew Kimball added, “This expanded campus will build on the ongoing success of the Harbor School, and we look forward to these young people joining the workforce that will power our ‘Harbor of the Future’ and careers across the five boroughs.”   

The Harbor School provides students with activities and resources that will create a sense of responsibility to the New York Harbor. The school hopes to foster the next generation of maritime advocates, enthusiasts, workers and decision-makers, and the expansion will do this through resources dedicated to career-technical training and research. 

“We say kids are ‘internet natives’ — smarter and better versed than the rest of us on the way modern technology works,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “Well, they’re going to be ‘climate change natives’ too — better prepared than any generation prior to take on the realities and challenges of climate change with the urgency it requires. That is in part thanks to innovative partnerships like the Harbor School, which will soon accommodate more kids to learn in nature’s classroom.”  

In April 2023, the Adams Administration announced the New York Climate Exchange, which is an effort to create a hub for climate research, education and jobs on Governors Island. A cross-sector consortium led by Stony Brook University, the Exchange aims to create a state-of-the-art, $700-million, 400,000-square-foot campus dedicated to researching and developing climate solutions that will equip New Yorkers to hold the green jobs of the future. Projected to open in 2028, the Exchange will be dedicated to educational programming, research, climate tech incubation and policy work aimed at advancing climate action.

In February 2024, Adams announced an up to $100 million investment in the Climate Innovation Hub at Brooklyn Army Terminal to further efforts to meet the goals set in the Green Economy Action Plan. This space expects to serve 150 startups over the next 10 years, and projects to generate $2.6 billion in economic impact and 600 jobs, especially investing in local training and job placement for the Sunset Park community. 

“The expansion is part of our ‘Harbor of the Future’ plan, which will transform our waterfront into a modern hub of economic growth and innovation, generating $95 billion in economic activity,” New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar said. “We are charting a course to sustainable, innovative waterways addressing the needs of New Yorkers. New class space, laboratories and other facilities will allow students to immerse themselves in this unique and exciting field.”  

In June 2024, the administration broke ground on the nation’s largest dedicated offshore wind port at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, also in Sunset Park. This wind port expects to accelerate the city’s clean energy transition and reach the city’s goal of developing 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035 and creating a new industry with thousands of  “green-collar” jobs on site and in the supply chain. 

Not only is the city investing in green initiatives, but several organizations leading in key research, work and infrastructure are basing their headquarters in the city, especially on Governors Island and in Brooklyn. The Billion Oyster Project is one example of a city-based organization creating green jobs, leading in research and development and proving to be inspirational in terms of environmental efforts beyond the city’s borders. The Billion Oyster Project is also one of the Harbor School’s partners.

In August 2024, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries presented nearly $1 million in federal funding to the Billion Oyster Project. In September 2023, Prince William visited Governors Island to witness the efforts of the Billion Oyster Project, where he reportedly discussed efforts to address the climate crisis with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.

As the island garners recognition as a hub for environmental advancement, the Trust for Governors Island has gained grants, funding and gifts from companies wishing to engage with the trust’s efforts and support the essential work. For example, in June 2024, the island received $45,000 worth of climate friendly outdoor equipment from Stihl. 

“Today marks a truly exciting moment in New York City’s growth as a leader in climate solutions — over the past 14 years, thousands of young New Yorkers have had transformational educational experiences on Governors Island, using the Harbor as a living classroom and receiving high-quality career training in maritime and environmental fields,” said Trust for Governors Island President and CEO Clare Newman. “We are proud to collaborate with our partners at the School Construction Authority and New York City Public Schools to develop these new, state-of-the-art facilities, which will serve to expand opportunities for students and empower the environmental leaders of tomorrow.” 

“The Harbor School is a resource as unique and special as Governors Island itself,” added New York State Sen. Andrew Gounardes. “This new expansion gives students even more opportunities to learn, play sports, and study our city’s natural ecosystems in a one-of-kind environment. I’m glad to see opportunities for young people grow on Governors Island, and I’m grateful to Mayor Adams and the Trust for Governors Island for making this possible.” 

For more news related to Governors Island and environmental research, see the following: