T
he Nightingale-Bamford School, a prestigious all-girls prep school on the Upper East Side, is planning to develop an athletics facility in the neighborhood. The school has acquired 11 parcels of land along East 108th Street for $17.2 million, with plans to build an indoor turf field, play yard, competition and practice gyms, and studio space for fitness and weight training activities.

    The new facility will serve the school's 700-plus students and is expected to break ground this year. According to head of school Paul Burke, the urban athletics center will be a unique addition to the city's educational landscape. The project comes as the school continues to grow, with tuition now at $64,470 per year.

    Nightingale-Bamford has a long history in the neighborhood and is known for its academic excellence. The school was also the inspiration for the book and TV series "Gossip Girl," which was written by alumna Cecily von Ziegesar. This year, the school awarded over $6.5 million in financial aid to nearly one-fifth of its student body.