Zeta Charter Schools to Open First High School in 35K SF at 517 West 164th Street
By Amanda Schiavo January 29, 2026 11:22 am
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School is in session in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood.
Zeta Charter Schools, a network of public charter schools in New York City, has signed a two-year, 35,000-square-foot lease at Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church at 517 West 164th Street, tenant broker Open Impact Real Estate announced Thursday.
The institution’s new space on the corner of St. Nicholas Avenue and West 164th Street will serve as a temporary campus for Zeta and allow it to open its first high school in August with an inaugural class of ninth-graders. Zeta will provide accommodations for students while searching for a more permanent dwelling within the neighborhood.
The asking rent was not disclosed.The overall asking rent for office space in Manhattan for the 2025 fourth quarter was $76 per square foot, according to Colliers data.
“We are thrilled to welcome our first ninth-grade class into our beautiful high school space in Washington Heights,” Emily Kim, Zeta Charter Schools founder and CEO, said in a statement.
“Creating Zeta High School seats for our Upper Manhattan and South Bronx communities has long been a part of our plan,” Kim added. “When students and families arrive at the start of school this August, they will walk into a beautiful building designed in every detail to prepare students for powerful college, career and life trajectories that enable them to fulfil their highest potential.”
Open Impact Real Estate’s Lindsay Ornstein and Alexander Smith represented Zeta Charter Schools. The landlord — the Archdiocese of New York — represented itself and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Zeta’s growth requires real estate solutions that are both mission-aligned and adaptable,” Ornstein said in a statement. “This lease gives the school the flexibility it needs in the near term while supporting high-quality learning environments for its students.”
Amanda Schiavo can be reached at aschiavo@commercialobserver.com.
