Its prime location near Inner Harbor in the gentrifying Federal Hill neighborhood made it an attractive choice for a magnet school drawing students from citywide.

A planning committee convened and a multimillion-dollar renovation project was undertaken over a five-year period.

The school was partially designed by the original principal, Michael Pitroff (2002-2005), who is said to be the "Father of Digital Harbor."

Digital Harbor's school compass logo represents the curriculum is divided into four separated into 6 separate areas of study ("pathways") for students to choose from: [5] The students must meet not only the BCPSS requirements for graduation, but must also fulfill the requirements for their particular "pathway" as well.

[11] The store was given the loan based on a presentation given by a group of students in the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) program.