Queens Community House gets grant from the State

Empire State Development announced grant funding to support upgrades to the Queens Community House. Photo via QCH

By Rachel Vick

Queens Community House facilities in Forest Hills will be getting a million dollar upgrade, Empire State Development announced Thursday.

A $1.4 million capital grant will support an expansion and the use of thousands of square feet of wasted space within the facility that serves 500 people from the surrounding communities.

"The modernization of the Forest Hills Community Center will enable Queens Community House to significantly expand the quality programs and services it provides to local families,” said Empire State Development Executive Deputy Commissioner Kevin Younis. “This project is an important investment in building regional childcare and workforce development capacity, delivering on the State's priority to support New York's working families and strengthen its economy.”

The 2,000 square foot expansion will increase the facility’s capacity to support an additional 150 children within the building that was first opened in 1976.

A new 7,500-square-foot space will be outfitted in the NYCHA Forest Hills Co-op to host ESL classes and the QCH immigration legal services program.

The grant was recommended by the New York City Regional Economic Development Council to support the City Council’s childcare and workforce development strategies.

“In the 45 years that the Forest Hills Community Center has been a home for QCH’s programs and a hub for our participants, our use of the space has changed to meet the needs of the community,” said Executive Director of Queens Community House Ben Thomases. “The improvement of and addition to these program spaces on the FHCC campus is critical to meet the growing needs of the communities QCH serves throughout the borough of Queens.”