BridgePrep Academy Leases 56,000 SF in Miami-Dade Retail Center for New School

BridgePrep Academy, a charter school network with 19 locations across Florida, has signed a 56,000-square-foot lease at the California Club Shopping Center in Ives Estates, Miami-Dade County. The open-air property, owned by RK Centers and located at 750 Ives Dairy Road, previously housed Waterways Preparatory Academy. This new lease will facilitate the opening of another BridgePrep Academy location, situated near Aventura and approximately 15 miles north of Downtown Miami.

Brokers Scott Goldstein and Keith Edelman of CBRE represented BridgePrep Academy in the transaction. Goldstein noted the scarcity of suitable properties for educational operators in Miami, citing challenges related to zoning codes and building layouts. The demand for grade school facilities, particularly private ones, has surged in South Florida since the pandemic, driven by an influx of new companies and residents. This trend has also prompted significant investments from developers like Stephen Ross and Jeff Greene to expand private school options in the region.

The lease demonstrates a growing trend of converting retail space to meet the educational sector's needs, though it often requires navigating specific code and layout adjustments.