P.S. 343 The Peck Slip School

 school, postmodern (architecture)

6-story school building completed in 1950 as a 4-story United States Post Office, designed by Jacob Feld and Charles M. Spindler. The post office was closed in 2012 to be replaced with a 712-seat school opening in the fall in 2015. Officially P.S. 343, it is also known as the Peck Slip School. The post office facilities have moved to nearby 116 John Street.

The Michael Graves/MMA-designed conversion involved significant changes to the existing structure. Most notable are two new floors added to the top. The top, sixth floor has enclosed rooftop playground with metal fabric to keep balls from sailing onto Peck Slip. A “gymatorium,” combination of gym and auditorium, with stage and removable seats, occupies the fifth floor of the elementary school. Similar to its original appearance, the lower four floors are clad in red brick, and have ribbons of silver-blue windows on the Peck Slip side, and wrapping around partly onto the Water Street side, where they are divided into large squares. The new top floors are faced in white brick with silver-blue glass window bands. The top floor is set back, with the enclosed rooftop playground in front of it.

www.peckslip.org/