City Donates Land To Create Student Success Center At Homestead Campus
Miami Dade College recently acquired 26,603 square feet of land from the City of Homestead to construct a one-stop student services hub and entrepreneurial institute.
The property transfer was finalized at a signing ceremony in August at Homestead City Hall.
“This building will help people with talent reach their goals,” said Homestead Student Government Association President Paul Douillon. “MDC helps people reach their goals and this center will give young entrepreneurs clear paths to that field. Having mentors to guide them and have people to put them on the right path will be important.”
The land, located across from City Hall, will eventually be converted into the Student Success Center. It will house financial aid, academic advisement, career resource center and other student departments at the campus.
“We’re just so proud because it’s just going to be a nice building for our students to enjoy,” said Homestead Campus President Jeanne Jacobs.
Plans to redesign Homestead Campus began in 2016 when the City of Homestead approved an option agreement for the conveyance of real property to the College, in an effort to revitalize downtown Homestead. The land is currently occupied by an abandoned building that formerly housed a business center.
There is no date set for construction to start because the project is currently in the “design phase.” The design is being managed by Rodriguez and Quiroga Architects Chartered, an architecture firm in Coral Gables. Construction could take up to 24 months to complete.
With an estimated budget of $36 million, funded by the college, the center will be equipped with four floors, totaling nearly 50,000 square feet of space. Along with student services, the entrepreneurial institute will be the first of its kind. Its aim will be to connect Homestead’s business community to the College.
“[The Center] further advances the vision of bringing the Homestead Campus’ more than 15,000 students closer to the business community in the heart of the city,” said Zachary Good, Public Information Officer for the City of Homestead.
The campus plans to move its key student services functions to the new building. Most of them are currently located in building A. They are in the preliminary stages of planning for future use of the spaces that will be vacated once the center is complete.
“In creating the center we hope to add much-needed support for Homestead Campus’ enrollment growth as well as provide one-stop student services,” Jacobs said.
The center will also serve as the official entrance to the Homestead Campus.
Homestead Campus is also in the final stages of obtaining a permit to renovate their parking lot on N. Flagler Avenue next to the campus. A date has not been set for completion.
