Harlem Village Academies, a network of college preparatory charter schools based in Harlem, retained Cooper Robertson in 2008 to design its first dedicated building, Harlem Village Academies High School. The school, classical and collegiate on the exterior, modern and fluid on the inside, accommodates 400 high school students. The building sits on a site that extends from 124th Street, where it fronts Marcus Garvey Memorial Park, through to 125th Street. Civic Builders serves as the owner’s representative for the project, which opened in the Spring of 2012 with every expectation of achieving certification under the LEED for Schools program.

The facility includes classrooms, art and music studios, a chemistry lab, student common areas on each floor, a gym/performance space, weight room, offices, and a roof garden. The 5-story, 77,000 square foot building also includes ground floor retail space fronting 125th Street.