Its operations initially took place in the Federal School building on 8th Street and during its four years there, 14 portables were added due to growth.

Due to the overcrowding, BASF Corporation donated a 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m2) building, originally occupied by the Holland Furnace Company, to the school in 1998.

While he or she requested anonymity; Black River’s Head of School, Shannon Brunink, acknowledged that it was a former board member who donated the parcel.

The property had remained vacant since 2010, when the occupant, South Side Swim Club, had to foreclose due to lack of memberships.

Improvements included a new 27,000 sf elementary facility (built during the summer of 2015), a building renovation for a new chemistry lab, supplemental gym/cafeteria space, and significant technology upgrades throughout campus.