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The Browning School is poised to inaugurate its new upper school facility at 337 East 64th Street this fall, marking a significant expansion in its 137-year history. The opening will follow a comprehensive, nearly three-year renovation of a former Hertz Rent A Car building, which has been transformed into a modern educational space for the private boys’ school.
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Originally a 105-year-old parking garage, the building underwent a substantial transformation led by S9 Architecture. The project included adding new levels to the structure, which now features 13 classrooms, science laboratories, a library, cafeteria, administrative offices, and a regulation-sized gymnasium. Additional amenities include a green roof and a rear yard, enhancing the building’s functionality and sustainability.
“Purposefully designed to enhance Browning’s mission of relational, rigorous, and values-driven education for boys, the East 64th Street campus offers nearly 60,000 square feet of new academic, athletic, and community spaces,” a press release states. “The building features larger classrooms, flexible gathering areas, a full gymnasium, and collaborative faculty workspaces — all crafted to foster meaningful connection and dynamic learning. It marks the first expansion of the school beyond a single building.”
Head of School John Botti emphasized the significance of this development, stating, “This new building is not just an expansion — it is a transformative opportunity to strengthen the Browning community.” He highlighted that, despite operating across two campuses, the school’s core values of curiosity, dignity, purpose, and honesty will remain central to its mission.
The expansion allows Browning to address previous space constraints, particularly in athletic facilities. Previously, the school had to rent space at a nearby gym due to limited on-site options. The new gymnasium within the upper school facility will enable the school to host athletic events and assemblies on campus.
With the Upper School’s relocation, the original campus at 52 East 62nd Street will be reconfigured to serve kindergarten through eighth grade. Planned renovations for this building include updated science laboratories, enhanced art and performance rooms, and new collaborative spaces designed to support the developmental needs of younger students.
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