Downtown Manhattan is experiencing a shortage of elementary school seats due to increasing births and new housing developments. The current kindergarten intake capacity of 350 students per year is insufficient as enrollment has exceeded 400 students. This shortage will worsen over the next few years as births continue to rise. A new 400-seat school planned for Downtown will not open in time to alleviate overcrowding at Spruce Street School which will be at full capacity by Fall 2011 with no room for additional students in subsequent years. More school seats and overflow space must be secured now to meet the growing demand.