WEST NEW YORK, NJ —
June 19, 2026 |
By DailyHudson Staff
State-funded project will serve 876 students in grades 6-8 on Broadway
For generations of West New York kids, the corner of 64th and Broadway has been just another busy intersection. In a few years, it will be the front door to a new chapter in their education.
State and local officials gathered Wednesday to break ground on a new $121.8 million middle school at 6400 Broadway. The project, fully funded by the New Jersey School Development Authority, will bring a 162,000-square-foot facility to a neighborhood that has long waited for modern classrooms.
What’s going in
The school is designed for 876 students in grades six through eight. Plans include 30 general classrooms, six science labs, a STEAM lab, art rooms with a kiln, a dance and aerobics studio, music rooms for both vocal and instrumental programs, an auditorium, a gymnasium, a media center, and a cafeteria.
That’s a lot of concrete and glass. But what matters to parents is what happens inside: spaces where kids can learn to code, paint, dance, or just sit quietly with a book.
How we got here
West New York is one of 31 districts in New Jersey where the state SDA handles school construction. Since the program started, the agency has poured more than $216 million into completed projects in the town alone. This new middle school will be the seventh capital project finished here.
The district has been growing. Enrollment numbers have pushed existing buildings to their limits. This school is designed to take the pressure off while giving students the kind of facilities that wealthier towns take for granted.
The state is using a “design-build” approach on this one, meaning one company—Terminal Construction Corporation—handles both the design and the construction, working with DMR Architects on the look and EPIC Management on oversight. That typically speeds things up.
What it means for families
If you’re a parent dropping a kid off at 64th and Broadway in a few years, the biggest change might be peace of mind. A modern school with proper science labs and enough classrooms means your child won’t be learning in a trailer or squeezing into a room built for 25 when there are 30 kids in the class.
It also means extracurriculars get a real home. The dance studio, the music rooms, the auditorium—these are places where kids figure out who they are outside of a test score.
The building is being built to LEED Silver standards, which is a fancy way of saying it will use less energy and be healthier for the kids inside. Better ventilation, better lighting, all of that matters more than most people realize.
What people are saying
NJSDA CEO Manuel Da Silva put it simply: “We gather here with a shared vision and purpose to construct a new school that will create better and brighter educational opportunities for West New York students.”
Superintendent Clara Brito Herrera was just as direct. “This school will be a place where curiosity is nurtured, talents are celebrated, potential is realized, and generations of learners will be inspired to achieve their dreams,” she said. “We are grateful to all our local and state partners.”
What’s next
Ground is officially broken. Construction crews will start moving dirt in the coming weeks. The SDA hasn’t announced an exact completion date yet, but projects of this size typically take two to three years.
The real work starts now. For the families on Broadway, waiting is the hardest part.
Source: Hudson County View
