“Here, we are in the auditorium of the Petrides School,” said Borough President Vito Fossella who was joined by Principal Anthony Tabbitas and Deputy Chancellor of the Division of School Operations Kevin Moran. “As you might recall, we were here a couple of months ago — the chairs were from the 1960s.”
The new auditorium has more than 1,000 seats.
Principal Tabbitas expressed his gratitude to Borough President Fossella.
“The Petrides School and the Petrides community are grateful for this beautiful theater that we have,” said Principal Tabbitas. “Our students will be able to perform on this stage for all our wonderful events. Thank you very much.”
After showcasing the new auditorium, the trio stepped outside to the entrance of the school’s campus. An old guardhouse, which created gridlock entering and exiting the parking lot, was removed. The traffic backlog was among the chief complaints of parents dropping off and picking up their children from school.
“Have you ever asked yourself the question, why is that still there — so on the grounds we are standing on, right here, was a guardhouse that had been here for decades, serving absolutely no purpose,” said Borough President Fossella. “It was causing delays into and out of the campus. In fact, with about 1,500 kids here, we’re saving 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon getting in and out of this campus. Do the math. Already, the traffic is flowing, eliminating complaints.”
