STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New York City officials broke ground Thursday on a new athletic field house at Tottenville High School, named in honor of the school’s former football coach and FDNY Captain John Drennan, who was killed in the line of duty in 1994.
On Thursday, New York City School Construction Authority President and CEO Nina Kubota joined education leaders, elected officials, community leaders, members of the FDNY, Tottenville Football Alumni Association, and the Drennan family to break ground on a new $24.3 million state-of-the-art athletic field house at the Huguenot school.
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Tottenville H.S. breaks ground on new field house named in honor of FDNY hero
According to the SCA, it will be named the John Drennan Athletic Field House, in honor of the former Tottenville varsity football coach who perished from injuries suffered while fighting a fire in Manhattan in 1994.
“This field house has been years in the making, a true reflection of perseverance, collaboration and community, pride, and we’re so grateful to see it finally becoming a reality,” said Gina Battista, principal of Tottenville High School. “… Today’s groundbreaking is not only about a building, but about what it stands for — dedication, teamwork and legacy. Captain John J. Drennan embodied all of these values. The late Fr. Mychal Judge, the beloved FDNY chaplain, once shared that after Captain Drennan’s passing, Mrs. Drennan said she wanted the city of New York to celebrate John what a hero he had been, and what a great husband and father he was. And that’s exactly what we’re doing here today, celebrating a hero, a coach, a husband, a father and a member of the Tottenville family, whose courage and leadership continue to inspire generations of Tottenville student athletes.”
A modern facility
The new 9,420-square-foot facility will include modern locker rooms, bathrooms, showers, a training room, film room, and equipment storage space. Additional amenities will include a concession stand and public restrooms, including a gender-neutral bathroom.
“This field house is the embodiment of one of SCA’s key objectives — to provide students with the state of the art facilities while creating an environment that encourages active participation in sports and physical activities,” said Kubota. “… We recognize that physical education and sports constitute a critical component of comprehensive school instruction, and this program represents an indispensable investment in the overall well being of our students and communities alike.”
The project will enhance the overall fitness experience for students, as well as their physical and mental well-being. It will be located adjacent to the school’s athletic fields – between the tennis courts and football field.
“There is no other high school more deserving of this field house than Tottenville High School,” said Dr. Roderick Palton, superintendent of Staten Island’s District 31, which represents all general education schools in the borough. “This is just not even a reward, but what you deserve as students, the best facilities to do what you do. As student athletes, we thank you for making Tottenville and Staten Island that much more exciting.”
Elected officials and former electeds spoke about the field house and Drennan’s legacy, including Councilmember Frank Morano and Assemblymember Michael Reilly, who both represent the South Shore, as well as District Attorney Michael McMahon. Also in attendance were Councilmember Joseph Borelli, who represented the South Shore, and former Borough President and current city Buildings Commissioner James Oddo. Representatives from key partners of the project, Borough President Vito Fossella and Sen. Andrew Lanza, were also in attendance.
Shown here is Tottenville H.S. former football coach and FDNY hero John Drennan.(Advance/SILive.com | Annalise Knudson)Head football coach and FDNY hero
Drennan joined the coaching program at Tottenville High School as an assistant coach in 1969 before serving as head coach from 1972-75. He was only 25 years old when he took over the program, boasting a 23-11 record during his tenure as head coach.
Drennan died a hero in 1994, along with firefighters Chris Siedenburg and Jimmy Young, after they were trapped in a Manhattan apartment stairwell while battling a blaze.
After the tragedy, plans were underway to build a field house at Tottenville High School in Drennan’s memory. Initial plans called for the project to be built with private funds and later maintained by the city education department, and volunteers drew up preliminary designs for the field house.
Then-city Councilmember Vito Fossella and then-Borough President Guy Molinari allotted significant funds toward the project, but the plans weren’t approved by top education officials.
“Tragically, Captain John Drennan lost his life more than 31 years ago. He died a hero, but left a wonderful legacy as a great family man, firefighter and coach,” said Fossella in a statement. “We will never forget the final tribute given to him at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. At the request of family and friends, we set out to get a field house built in his honor. We salute all those – coaches, players, family and friends – who never gave up. We will always remember Captain John Drennan. And we will never forget his sacrifice and legacy. And, in a way, I’m pretty sure he is looking down and very pleased with the record of this year’s Tottenville football team.”
Construction begins this month
Now, more than 31 years later, development of the field house is officially underway. Construction begins later this month, with a slated completion in October 2027.
“It’s a day to celebrate. It’s a day to look forward to the future, seeing you guys and the record you have — good luck tomorrow,” said John Drennan’s wife, Alvina Drennan. “Go get that win. Go to the best college you can get yourself into and do the best job. You can live a good life. To the firefighters here. Thank you for coming.”
The field house construction is part of the SCA’s 2025-2029 Capital Plan, which includes $354 million in funding to modernize and expand physical education facilities across the city, including gymnasiums, athletic fields, swimming pools, and playgrounds.
The project was designed by AECOM USA Inc., and it will be built by PMY Construction Corp.
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