Convent of the Sacred Heart is the oldest independent all-girls school for students from Pre-K to 12th grade in New York City. The building that now carries on this legacy is both timeless and innovative, now that the school has been renovated and repositioned with the latest amenities and design features.

Sacred Heart is part of a community of over 150 schools in more than 40 countries. Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat first founded the Society of the Sacred Heart in 19th century France. She was a fervent believer in the power of education and made it her life’s work to educate women, despite the patriarchal values of French society that dominated her time period. Following in her footsteps, Convent of the Sacred Heart is firmly invested in the potential and power that lies in each student and in providing a space in which they can explore those gifts.

The Convent of the Sacred Heart has been a vital component of New York City’s elegant and bustling Upper East Side since 1934. The school is housed in historic Beaux-Arts mansions, but with updated interiors to match the changing times—that’s where our team comes in.

Archstone Builders renovated multipurpose classrooms and creative makerspaces, complete with both the structural and mechanical necessities needed for safe, comfortable learning and the decorative accents that bring a space to life. The corridors have been similarly upgraded with the addition of architectural lighting fixtures, a sprinkler system, and HVAC linear diffusers in the ceiling, plus fire-rated wood doors, vision glass, and ceiling.

The school aims to create a comfortable and welcoming space for students from all walks of life. Our recent repositioning project includes not only upgrades to the most integral learning spaces but also a multi-use student bathroom and a wellness room for nursing mothers, both equipped with all the necessary safety and structural features, and the same decorative elements added throughout the rest of the building.

Project Details

Convent of the Sacred Heart gears itself towards the future while recognizing its rich past. The school fosters a space inspired by Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat’s mission of educational equality and excellence, and the facilities reflect this ambition:

• Top-of-the-line educational spaces – At Convent of the Sacred Heart, each classroom provides a safe and comfortable experience so students can focus on the academic material at hand. The building’s multipurpose classrooms and creative makerspaces are now equipped with new windows, acoustical storefronts and ceiling panels, industrial decorative mosaic epoxy, state-of-the-art classroom accessories, and a number of necessary plumbing and HVAC features.
• Multi-use student bathroom – With essential features like top-of-the-line plumbing fixtures, architectural lighting, and HVAC linear diffusers, the new and improved Sacred Heart bathroom is ready to meet the needs of its students. Beyond that, the Corian countertops, stunning bathroom accessories and mirrors, and decorative tile walls and floors add ambiance and class to an otherwise exclusively functional space.
• Wellness room – With health and wellness as top priorities, Convent of the Sacred Heart now features a wellness room for nursing mothers. The state-of-the-art appliances, acoustical fire-rated doors, and HVAC improvements ensure that the school is a healthy and safe atmosphere for all community members.
• Historic mansions – While we took great care to update the learning spaces for the needs of today’s student body, the school still aims to preserve its rich legacy on New York City’s Upper East Side. The school has been housed in two mansions on E 91st St and 5th Ave since 1934. Both mansions were built in the early 20th century and are stunning examples of the architecture of the era. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Committee has designated both mansions as landmarks, providing an additional challenge to our team—and an increasingly rewarding experience.