Imrey Studio LLC | HARLEM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

The Renaissance Project converts Ulrich Franzen's brutalist-style 1970's facility on St. Nicholas Ave near W141st, into a welcoming and vibrant community hub. The new designs accomplish an essential tenet of the institution's mission: interaction and exchange through the arts. The project replaces the brick exterior with a large swath of clear glass, bringing the beautiful interior and courtyard garden into view from the street. The renovated facility thus invites connection between the neighborhood and the activity within. This dramatic design gesture reinforces the goal of soprano Dorothy Maynor (1910 - 1996), who founded the school, to make art accessible to everyone.

The project also transforms the lobby into a high-tech gallery/performance space, calibrated by renowned acoustical engineering firm, WSDG. The designs support a wide range of dynamic exhibitions, performances, and events in the HSA's hallmark double-height atrium, now named Dorothy Maynor Hall. In addition to creating a warm, welcoming, performance-ready building, the new construction resolves safety and code compliance concerns of the existing facility as well as making imminent necessary repairs to the building core such as a new roof and windows throughout. Legendary musician/philanthropist Herb Alpert and his wife, Grammy Award-winning vocalist, and author, Lani Hall Alpert funded the full project cost of $ 9.5 million dollars through the Herb Alpert Foundation.

Architect of Record: Eric K. Daniels, Architect, P.C