Pratt Institute, city officials join in ribbon cutting ceremony

September 24, 2025

NEWARK, N.J. – Call it a high school built on a strong foundation of partnerships.

Superintendent León, Pratt Institute President Frances Bronet, Newmark Associates President & CEO Susanne Newmark, and elected officials today officially opened the Newark School of Architecture & Interior Design, perhaps the first school in New Jersey to prepare high school students for careers in the building industry. The ribbon-cutting was followed by a student-led tour of the new facility, the former St. James Hospital, where guests observed students already at work on their architecture and trades projects.

“The Newark School of Architecture & Interior Design represents the very best of what happens when vision, collaboration, and persistence come together,” said Superintendent León. “This school transforms a place of healing into a place of building and learning, and it gives our students a pathway into industries that will shape the future of our city and our world.”

“We are proud to partner and launch the Newark School of Architecture & Interior Design, bringing Pratt Institute’s world-renowned expertise to expand youth access to the creative disciplines through the public school system,” said Pratt President Frances Bronet. “This partnership builds on our long history of creating cradle-through-career pathways for young people, from the opening of our Saturday Art School program in 1897 to our more recent collaboration with Bank Street College of Education and the New York City’s Department of Education to found Design Works High School.”

“This is not just a building, it is a promise,” said Susanne Newmark, President & CEO of Newmark Associates. “It is a promise to the young minds who pass through these halls and to the city that has shaped their vision. The students who learn here will not only learn about designing spaces, they will be designing possibility.”

“I couldn’t be happier for these Newark students who have begun their journey to learn how to make spaces that give people a sense of self and belonging to a community; a sense of safety and order; a sense of beauty and inspiration,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “I hope they will someday apply what they learn here to building our city’s future, with spaces that spur even deeper connections with each other and our environment. I congratulate Superintendent Leon and all the partners for this transformative vision and their diligence to see it through.”

As Newark’s higher education partner, Pratt Institute, an internationally ranked college preparing students for success in creative and professional fields, played an instrumental role in shaping the school’s curriculum. Pratt faculty worked closely with Newark educators in designing a new course in architecture and interior design, which, with a new “Survey of Trades” course, introduces the fundamentals of plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems.

Pratt Institute’s partnership with the district is the latest example of its longstanding commitment to youth education. Pratt Institute partners with public schools through the Pratt Research Yard, where students work alongside Pratt faculty in the Research Yard to study and address real-world challenges. Pratt’s Saturday Art School continues to welcome students to Pratt’s campus with the goal of expanding access to art and design education to local New York City children.

The Newark School of Architecture & Interior Design’s building reflects its mission. Its glass-ensconced, five-story stairwell, the architectural highlight of the building, lifts students above the Ironbound’s rooftops, offering a view of the world that awaits them beyond their neighborhood.

The Newark School of Architecture & Interior Design is the district’s 65th school and the eleventh to open since Superintendent León’s appointment in 2018. The school aligns with the Newark Public Schools’ historic 10-year strategic plan, which calls for a redesign of high schools and expansion of specialized programs.

As with the district’s other new schools, enrollment will grow by one grade each year. The school welcomed 212 ninth graders this fall, who will form its first graduating class in 2029.

Superintendent León thanked those who played a vital role in establishing the school: Havier Nazario, Chief of Staff; Dr. Maria Ortiz, Assistant Superintendent of High Schools; Assistant Superintendent Sandra Marques, who served as the district’s Career & Technical Education Director; and Principal Soraia Mendes. In addition to the entire facilities and trades staff in the planning and leading to the opening of the school by day one, and beyond.

The partnership with Pratt also brings Newark students into a rich educational legacy that includes architects William Van Alen, designer of the Chrysler Building, and Annabelle Selldorf, designer of the Neue Galerie and the Frick Collection expansion, as well as cultural icons such as photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, fashion designer Betsey Johnson, and actor Martin Landau.

“This opening is a milestone not only for our students, but for our entire community,” said Hasani K. Council, President of the Newark Board of Education. “With this school, we are ensuring that young people in Newark have access to world-class opportunities in architecture, design, and the trades. It is proof that when we invest in our students, they rise to meet – and exceed – every expectation.”