Miami-Dade County Public Schools broke ground Tuesday, Aug. 11, on a $20.6 million building at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology @ FIU, giving the Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami its first permanent main building with 20 classrooms and science labs.
The three-story structure will also house an administration suite, dining room, warming kitchen and outdoor dining area. KAST Construction Company, Florida, LLC was awarded the contract. Completion is expected in November 2027.
"It's a massive win for our students, moving them into permanent high-tech spaces that match our world-class maritime and science programs," principal Robert Sarmiento said at the ceremony, according to WSVN.
MAST @ FIU is the only public high school in Florida with a collaborative partnership with a public university and the only M-DCPS magnet school focused on marine and environmental science. The countywide magnet draws students from across Miami-Dade.
Coconut Grove Elementary gets its own expansion
In Coconut Grove, the county's oldest school is also gaining new space. The School Board commissioned architectural firm Gurri Matute, P.A. on May 13 to design and build a $15.2 million, three-story classroom building at the Grand Avenue and Matilda Street campus.
The 23,000-square-foot structure will add eight classrooms and a skills lab, serving 176 students.
The ground floor will feature an open-air basketball court with bleachers and a scoreboard, replacing the school's existing physical education building. An unfinished third floor leaves room for future expansion. Founded in 1887, Coconut Grove Elementary has operated continuously ever since, with its main classroom building standing since 1911. As of February, the school enrolled 511 students. The board approved the project without discussion, and it remains unclear whether the new capacity will serve the existing student body or accommodate expanded enrollment.
The district is reusing a design previously deployed at Ruth K. Broad Bay Harbor K-8 Center to reduce fees and speed construction. Completion is estimated for September 2028, in time for the 2028-29 school year.
Additional campus improvements include a stand-alone chiller building, a covered walkway, a digital marquee, an enhanced entry plaza and upgrades to the art, music and cafeteria spaces, according to the Coconut Grove Spotlight.
Two projects, one opening week
Both milestones landed as M-DCPS opened the 2026-27 school year on Thursday, Aug. 13. The district is pushing capital projects forward even as it weighs closing nine schools elsewhere due to declining enrollment. Miami-Dade enrolled roughly 13,000 fewer students in 2025-26 than the prior year. None of the schools targeted for potential closure are in Coconut Grove.
Families tracking the MAST @ FIU project can expect the new building to open for the 2027-28 school year. Coconut Grove Elementary parents are looking at September 2028.
