Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction

What Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction does

The Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction (UASDC), legally "The Urban Assembly School of Design & Construction" and doing business as "SDC," is a public Career and Technical Education (CTE) high school serving grades 9–12 in Midtown West, Manhattan, at 525 West 50th Street, New York, NY 10019. It operates under the NYC Department of Education (DBN code 02M300, program code M44X) as part of the Urban Assembly network of schools. UASDC delivers a four-year academic and technical curriculum organized around two CTE pathways — Architectural Design and Visual Arts — supported by the Crew social-emotional advisory model from NYC Outward Bound Schools, a College & Career Planning program, a 100-hour community service graduation requirement, and a Work-Based Learning program. Students gain proficiency in industry-standard software (AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, SketchUp, Revit, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Painter) and fabricate designs using 3D printers, CNC routers, and laser cutters, graduating with industry-recognized credentials.

The school's primary technical assets are its CTE curriculum sequence and its fabrication lab, not proprietary technology. The six-credit pathway in Architectural Design is a progressive 9th–12th grade course scaffold (Design and Drawing for Production, Architectural Design & Construction Foundations, Intermediate Architectural Design, Civil Engineering), and the Visual Arts pathway culminates in a 12th-grade Art Portfolio capstone. The school runs no APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML capabilities, and its web presence is a standard Edlio CMS deployment. Outreach is conducted through NYC DOE channels, scheduled open houses, Architecture Workshops, Instagram (@sdc_nyc), and a Partnership Inquiry Form for prospective industry and college collaborators.

The business model is a non-revenue public institution: UASDC charges no tuition and is funded through NYC DOE per-pupil appropriations, supplemented by website donations allocated to specific clubs, sports, or programs. Its customer base is prospective students and families across all five NYC boroughs, admitted via the NYC DOE Educational Options lottery. The school partners with Perkins Eastman, Skanska, Bolt Architecture, ACE Mentor Program, JDP Technology, SEAoNY, NYC City Tech, and NYIT for industry exposure, mentorships, internships, and college pathways. The organization is governed by a Principal (Anthony Genna), an Assistant Principal, a Dean, guidance counselors, a College & Career Counselor, and approximately 25 staff in total.

Name

Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction

Legal name

The Urban Assembly School of Design & Construction

Website

https://uasdc.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction is a NYC public CTE high school in Midtown West serving grades 9–12 via Architectural Design and Visual Arts pathways, funded by the NYC DOE, with industry-standard credentialing in AutoCAD, Revit, and Adobe tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education (Career and Technical Education)

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Career technical education
• High school education
• Architectural design pathway
• Visual arts education
• College career planning

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: NYC Department of Education public school funded through government educational appropriations. No tuition charged to students.
2. Donations: School accepts donations through its website with designated allocation options for specific clubs, sports, or programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction (SDC) is a public Career and Technical Education (CTE) high school serving grades 9-12 in Midtown West, New York City. The school offers two specialized CTE pathways — Architectural Design and Visual Arts — where students gain proficiency in industry-standard software (AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite) and use fabrication equipment (3D printers, CNC routers, laser cutters). Students graduate with industry-recognized certifications and complete college preparation, community service, work-based learning, and Crew advisory programming.

Product overview

The Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) high school offering a unified educational program centered on two primary CTE pathways: the Architectural Design Pathway and the Visual Arts Pathway. The school provides a comprehensive four-year curriculum that integrates academic courses with technical skills training, social-emotional learning through the Crew program, college and career planning services, community service requirements, and work-based learning opportunities. Students graduate with industry-standard certifications in software tools such as AutoCAD, Revit, Adobe Creative Suite, and gain practical experience through partnerships with architecture firms and colleges. The program is structured as a coherent sequence from 9th through 12th grade, building skills progressively toward portfolio completion and career readiness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Pathway A six-credit CTE sequence for grades 9-12 exploring architectural design and construction principles, teaching hand drafting, CAD software, and fabrication skills. Students graduate with industry-recognized credentials in AutoCAD and Revit.
• Visual Arts Pathway A six-credit CTE sequence for grades 9-12 exploring visual arts, artistic expression, and visual storytelling. Students learn Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Corel Painter, and traditional tools, and graduate with a portfolio and at least one industry-recognized credential in digital design or visual arts.
• College & Career Planning Program A four-year scope and sequence program using the Office of Student Pathways framework (Strong Plan, Head Start, Real Skills) to prepare students for post-secondary success through pathway planning sessions, internships, and career-connected learning experiences.
• Community Service Program A graduation requirement program requiring students to complete 100 hours of community service over four years (25 hours per year). Eligible students can earn the NYC DOE Seal of Recognition for Service.
• Crew Program A weekly 30-minute Wednesday advisory program supporting social-emotional development through team building, academic support, conflict resolution, and self-reflection. Crews of 8-16 students stay intact throughout all four years of high school, supported by NYC Outward Bound Schools.
• Work Based Learning A program providing work-based learning activities and experiences through partnerships with industry partners, including guest speakers, job site visits, mentorships, workshops, job shadowing, and internships, preparing students for post-secondary success.
• CTE Curriculum Course Sequence (Grades 9-12) Grade-specific CTE courses sequenced across grades 9-12: Design and Drawing for Production (9th), Architectural Design & Construction Foundations (10th), Intermediate Architectural Design (11th), Civil Engineering (12th), and Art Portfolio (12th Visual Arts capstone).

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduation rate increased to 91% from 75% in one year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Perkins EastmancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm providing industry partnership for students interested in architectural design careers. Perkins Eastman is a global architecture and design firm with a New York office.
• Bolt ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner providing industry connections and potential mentorship, site visits, or career exploration opportunities for SDC students.
• JDP TechnologysupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing industry perspective and potential technology-related learning opportunities for students.
• ACE Mentor ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational mentorship program connecting students with architecture, construction, and engineering professionals. Provides mentoring, scholarships, and career exploration for students.
• Guiding and Connecting for Student Achievement (GCSA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYC-based organization supporting student achievement through guidance and connection to educational and career opportunities.
• Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association of structural engineers providing industry expertise, guest speakers, and career guidance for students interested in structural engineering.
• SKANSKAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal construction and development company providing industry partnerships, potential site visits, internships, and career pathways for students in the construction field.
• New York City College of Technology (City Tech)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCUNY college partner providing pathway opportunities for SDC graduates interested in continuing education in technology and design-related fields.
• New York Institute of Technology (NYIT)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege partner providing higher education pathway opportunities for SDC students interested in pursuing college degrees in design, technology, or related fields.
• Work-Based Learning Industry PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious industry partners collaborate with SDC to provide work-based learning activities and experiences preparing students for post-secondary success through guest speakers, job site visits, mentorships, workshops, job shadowing, and internships.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brooklyn Technical High School: One of NYC's flagship specialized public STEM high schools, competing for the same cohort of design/engineering-inclined students through the NYC DOE Specialized High Schools admissions process.
• Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts: NYC DOE specialized public high school with a visual-arts audition-based pathway; competes for the same visual-arts-interested students as UASDC's Visual Arts CTE pathway.
• Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS): NYC small specialized public middle/high school combining rigorous academics with arts training; comparable in size and mission of integrating arts/design with college preparatory outcomes.
• High School of Fashion Industries: NYC DOE CTE high school focused on design industry pathways (fashion/visual arts), serving a similar student persona and competing for design-oriented applicants through the same NYC DOE enrollment system.
• The Bronx High School of Science: NYC DOE specialized public STEM high school competing for top math/science-oriented students; less of a CTE focus but draws from the same applicant pool for technically talented urban students.
• Harbor School: NYC DOE CTE-themed public high school focused on marine sciences, technology, and career-pathway credentials; comparable small specialized school with work-based learning and industry partnerships.
• Urban Assembly Maker Academy: Other Urban Assembly network NYC public high school with a CTE/maker focus, sharing network resources, the Crew SEL model, and competing for similar applicants across NYC.
• Academy for Software Engineering: NYC DOE small specialized public high school focused on software engineering and computer science, comparable in size and CTE-specialized model and competing for technically inclined applicants citywide.
• City Polytechnic High School of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology: NYC DOE public high school with an overlapping engineering, architecture, and technology CTE focus; explicitly cited in the data as Principal Genna's previous institution, making it the most directly comparable NYC public school competitor.
• Stuyvesant High School: NYC DOE specialized public high school with elite STEM focus, competing for the highest-achieving urban applicants through the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sdc_nyc
• Xx.com/UASDC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Urban Assembly School of Design and Construction