High School of Graphic Communication Arts
Encyclopedia
The High School of Graphic Communication Arts (also referred to as H.S.G.C.A.) is a vocational high school located in the Hell's Kitchen
(also known as Clinton) district of Manhattan
. Founded in 1925 as the New York School of Printing, the school serves to educate students interesting in careers in printing
, photography
, journalism
, the visual arts, and law enforcement (mainly forensics
drawing).
The present building that now houses the school was built in 1959 by the architectural firm of Kelly & Gruzen (now known as Gruzen Samton Architects) and is one of the best known structures designed utilizing a vigorous display of the international architectural style
movement in the city. It was also the first high school in the city to have escalators. The school is home to a mural located at its main entrance that was designed by Hans Hofmann
, one of the leading artists of the Abstract Expressionist movement. The building is located on West 49th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues, across the street from the building that once was home to the now defunct Park West High School. The current principal of the school is Jerod Resnick.
The school has allocated some of its space to the Manhattan Playhouse to serve as a community theater that showcases many local off-Broadway
productions.
In October 2010, it was announced that the school was on the New York City Department of Education
's shortlist of schools potentially targeted for closing. It was one of two schools in Manhattan to be on the list, and the only high school in the borough scheduled to be closed due to poor academic performance.
439 West 49th Street
New York, NY 10019-7235
United States of America
Main Telephone: +1 (212) 245-5925
Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan
Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton and Midtown West, is a neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City between 34th Street and 59th Street, from 8th Avenue to the Hudson River....
(also known as Clinton) district of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Founded in 1925 as the New York School of Printing, the school serves to educate students interesting in careers in printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
, photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, the visual arts, and law enforcement (mainly forensics
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
drawing).
The present building that now houses the school was built in 1959 by the architectural firm of Kelly & Gruzen (now known as Gruzen Samton Architects) and is one of the best known structures designed utilizing a vigorous display of the international architectural style
International style (architecture)
The International style is a major architectural style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, the formative decades of Modern architecture. The term originated from the name of a book by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson, The International Style...
movement in the city. It was also the first high school in the city to have escalators. The school is home to a mural located at its main entrance that was designed by Hans Hofmann
Hans Hofmann
Hans Hofmann was a German-born American abstract expressionist painter.-Biography:Hofmann was born in Weißenburg, Bavaria on March 21, 1880, the son of Theodor and Franziska Hofmann. When he was six he moved with his family to Munich...
, one of the leading artists of the Abstract Expressionist movement. The building is located on West 49th Street between 9th and 10th Avenues, across the street from the building that once was home to the now defunct Park West High School. The current principal of the school is Jerod Resnick.
The school has allocated some of its space to the Manhattan Playhouse to serve as a community theater that showcases many local off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
productions.
In October 2010, it was announced that the school was on the New York City Department of Education
New York City Department of Education
The New York City Department of Education is the branch of municipal government in New York City that manages the city's public school system. It is the largest school system in the United States, with over 1.1 million students taught in more than 1,700 separate schools...
's shortlist of schools potentially targeted for closing. It was one of two schools in Manhattan to be on the list, and the only high school in the borough scheduled to be closed due to poor academic performance.
Contact information
High School of Graphic Communication Arts439 West 49th Street
New York, NY 10019-7235
United States of America
Main Telephone: +1 (212) 245-5925
Notable alumni
- Carolyn Butts - journalist, literary agent, film producer, and founding publisher of African Voices literary magazine
- David HorowitzDavid Horowitz (consumer advocate)David Horowitz is an American consumer advocate and former reporter for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, whose Emmy-winning TV program Fight Back! would warn viewers about defective products, test advertised claims to see if they were true, and confront corporations about customer complaints...
- consumer advocate