Schools Chancellor Joel Klein was joined by other education officials Friday to cut the ribbon at the brand new Upper East Side Middle School.

The new building has room for 540 students and features state of the art facilities and includes space for a special education program.
It's the first school to open on the Upper East Side since 1962.

"This is really such a spectacular facility. Most importantly, if you talk to the students about it, they'll tell you how it's changed the way they feel about school -- how their teachers feel and so forth. For so many reasons it's really a terrific, terrific thing," Klein said.

"They have built a school that appears to exude kindness, and respect, and intelligence, and affection for the students within them, said Upper East Side Middle School Principal David Getz.

Located on 91st Street between First and Second Avenues, the building is part of a brand new mixed-use complex that features commercial space and 1,500 cooperative apartments.

The school's former home on 78th Street will now house an elementary school.

Funds were provided through a public-private partnership, at no cost to tax payers.