Ismael Leyva Architects has been selected to design the new School of Visual Arts dormitory at 407 First Ave. on 24th St. on behalf of the developer, Magnum Real Estate Group. This is Ismael Leyva Architects' fourth project with Magnum. The New School of Visual Arts dormitory will be designed with six stories on First Ave. and 14 stories in the interior lot. Magnum will construct 147,000 s/f of gross area with over 500 dormitory beds within 242 suites. The building will contain administrative and faculty offices on the first and basement levels as well as common dormitory amenities including a public terrace on the 7th floor roof. Currently, The School of Visual Arts is one of the largest independently regionally accredited colleges of art in the United States. With a diverse practice, Ismael Leyva Architects' has designed many residential, hotel, mixed-use and educational properties in New York City, Costa Rica, Mexico, China and Qatar. "We are excited and honored to have been selected by the Magnum Real Estate Group to design the new dormitory for The School of Visual Arts. We will design a comfortable living environment for students in a functional building, keeping in context with the surrounding neighborhood," said Ismael Leyva, AIA, president, Ismael Leyva Architects.