Open Impact Real Estate announced that Kwenda Collegiate Girls Charter School has signed a 10-year lease for 44,114 square feet of turnkey school space at 2520 Church Ave. in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The new space, previously occupied by St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy, will serve as the future home of Kwenda Collegiate Girls when it opens for the 2025-2026 school year.
The soon-to-open school, which was recently awarded a NYC school charter by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute, will utilize the building’s classrooms and facilities to provide a high-quality education for girls in the Flatbush area. The school will first serve children grades K-1, with plans to expand through grades 5 and ultimately, through eighth grade.
“We are thrilled to have secured this facility, allowing Kwenda to provide a beautiful and empowering educational environment for our girls in Brooklyn,” said Christina Yi-Perry, founder of Kwenda Collegiate Girls Charter School.
The historic space boasts high-ceilinged classrooms, large windows, a cafeteria on the lower level and access to outdoor play areas. In March, Kwenda and McGowan Construction will begin extensive renovations of the facility, designed by Studios Architecture, to create dynamic new spaces and amenities.
The building and grounds will feature an outdoor classroom space for immersive nature experiences that promote mental and emotional wellness, and a makerspace that will empower girls to explore science and art through hands-on projects. A visual and performing arts wing will house a dance and performing arts studio and a visual arts classroom. The building will also have 14 indoor classrooms, a school library and a cafeteria.
Lindsay Ornstein, Jake Cinti and Kate Whitman of Open represented Kwenda Collegiate Girls Charter School in the transaction; William O’Brien of M.C. O’Brien Inc. represented the landlord.
“This lease marks an important step in Kwenda’s mission to empower young people in Brooklyn through progressive and culturally relevant education,” said Jake Cinti, senior vice president at Open Impact Real Estate. “The flexibility of the space will allow the school to grow sustainably and thrive in an elevated educational environment ”
Kwenda Collegiate Girls Charter School is expected to take occupancy in July 2025 following the completion of renovations, with classes beginning in August 2025.
