School fix has ’em in dumps

CONSTRUCTION UNTIL midnight, mountains of garbage and a narrowed street leading to multiple car accidents.

Those are among the complaints of furious Gramercy residents who live next to Washington Irving High School.

Their nightmare began earlier this year, they say, when the city’s School Construction Authority announced a plan to overhaul the school’s aging façade. The $43 million project is expected to take three years. School authority officials failed to consult with the neighborhood before beginning the work, residents say.

“There’s no real critical thinking about what can be done during the day and minimize the disruption to the neighborhood,” said Julie Block, who lives across the street from the school.

School officials say the repairs are desperately needed to prevent parts of the building from falling off. The 11-story building, whose alums include Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar, was constructed in 1913. It’s now home to seven schools serving more than 2,000 students.

“We’re working diligently to complete the project on schedule and with minimal impact on the community,” Education Department spokesman Michael Aciman said.

After a February meeting, officials vowed all carting for the project would be finished by 11 p.m. But neighbors say that’s rarely the case.