In December 2001, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) announced plans to construct a new 800-seat building for Queens Gateway. In 2002, shortly after the completion of the new Queens Hospital Center main building, the DOE sought to acquire a portion of the property to construct a new high school, demolishing now-obsolete hospital buildings. The relocation would allow Queens Gateway students to work with health professionals from QHC. Residents of the local community, however, opposed the plan due to fears of additional pedestrian and automobile traffic, loss of parking, and an increased strain on mass transit and police resources. On April 19, 2007, the members of Queens Community Board 8 (representing Hillcrest) unanimously vetoed the new school's construction. In addition, the site along Goethals Avenue was found to be contaminated with petroleum from an adjacent ambulance refueling station (later replaced by EMS Station 50), as well as formaldehyde leaking from the morgue. Both buildings had been completed in the 1930s along with the original Queens Hospital Center (then-Queens General Hospital). Nevertheless, the school project was approved by the New York City Council on June 15, 2007. In March 2009, the City Council approved the construction of a 50-space parking lot adjacent to the school for employees. The new Queens Gateway building, which cost $70.8 million to construct, opened on September 8, 2010 for the 2010–11 academic year.