NEW YORK — The board of a New York City public school approved Monday a $7.5 million contract with the city for the construction of a new high-school building in the borough.
The decision by the City Council came amid an intensifying battle over a proposal to raise tuition at two high schools in the Bronx that was blocked by the teachers union.
The new school is expected to be completed by summer 2019, when it will be built on the former site of a public high school.
The school district is also expected to build a new campus on the Bronx River, but it has not yet been finalized.
The school board’s decision to approve the contract, made public Monday, was made after a lengthy discussion and debate that lasted more than two hours, according to the board’s chairwoman, Councilwoman Diane Savino.
The deal was struck in a meeting attended by more than 100 teachers and staff, and the union was not allowed to attend, she said.
The union, which has a contract with a private school in the area, has said it will fight any increase in the cost of education for its members.
The teachers union said the decision was a victory for students, but added that it will continue to oppose any proposal to increase the cost for students and their families.
Last week, the council approved a $9.4 million contract for a new public high-rise school, which is being built in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood.
It is one of a number of high-rises planned for the borough, including the $2 billion project in Queens.
