While looking for the appropriate site for CQA, the realities of the NYC real estate market became clear. On the one hand, the podiums of many residential buildings, originally intended for retail, are partially vacant. On the other hand, charter schools have a pressing need for affordable, conveniently located space and possess the mechanisms to finance it. This interesting urban overlay, very common throughout New York City and many US cities, made it possible for CQA to find its new site: a vacant, four-level podium—the base of an 18-story condo building—at  the corner of Justice Avenue and 55th Avenue.

CQA I & II are designed to accommodate over 1,300 students within a space of 127,000 square feet, spanning the first, third, and fourth floors of the podium. Inspired by urban concepts of villages and commons, the design emphasizes classroom clusters as well as communal learning spaces that expand the classrooms beyond traditional limits.

The design incorporates  dedicated spaces for communal learning, fostering a seamless educational environment across the whole school.