Education

Construction begins on Phillips Avenue parking lot, bus loops

PAUL SQUIRE PHOTO | School board members help break ground at the new construction at Phillips Avenue School Thursday morning.

Riverhead school officials broke ground Thursday morning on a new parking lot and bus drop-off loops for Phillips Avenue School, officially kicking off construction as part of the $78.3 million capital improvement school bond approved by voters last fall.

“This has been a long time coming,” said school board president Ann Cotten-Degrasse, adding that Phillips – the second oldest school in the district – was due for renovations.

Workers have also gutted the school’s library as part of the construction to install a new “21st century” library with more computer stations and specialized learning centers, school officials said.

The parking lot work should be done by the first day of school, said superintendent Nancy Carney, while the library will be completed by Oct. 31.

Construction work has been approved for Aquebogue and Riley Avenue Schools and will begin this fall, while work at Riverhead High School will start in the spring, officials said.

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