{"id":344853,"date":"2026-07-19T00:26:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T00:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/344853\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T00:26:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T00:26:10","slug":"coral-gables-deal-could-bring-more-undergrads-and-a-hospital-to-um","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/344853\/","title":{"rendered":"Coral Gables deal could bring more undergrads and a hospital to UM"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Brian Mulvey Photo Editor \/\/ Ibises gather at Granada Land Park on Feb. 28, 2026.<\/p>\n

If passed, a new agreement between UM and the city of Coral Gables would allow a hospital to be built on campus, significantly increase the number of undergraduates and provide more square footage for construction.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The University of Miami filed a 217-page package<\/a> with the city of Coral Gables on June 11, requesting amendments to four separate documents: the Development Agreement, the campus master plan, the comprehensive plan and the zoning code.<\/p>\n

This proposed Development Agreement is a 30-year agreement between the two parties, with both leveraging key negotiating assets.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe development agreement is designed to look into the future,\u201d the University told The Hurricane in a statement. \u201cIt establishes the parameters that will govern future growth and development of the University of Miami\u2019s Coral Gables Campus over the course of the next 30 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

What would UM gain?<\/p>\n

The proposed deal would adjust the land-use rules so that UM would have permission to build a hospital on campus. Page 11 of the filing suggests that a hospital could be built along the \u201cPonce de Leon corridor with easy access to public transit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

No plans for a hospital have been filed with the city yet, and it is unclear if UM would build a full-service hospital or a specialty center.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe University does not \u2014 at present \u2014 possess a specific plan to build a hospital on the Coral Gables Campus,\u201d the University said. \u201cAs home to the only university-based academic health system in South Florida, the University is planning for the future needs of its community \u2014 both on campus and beyond campus \u2014 as it continues to deliver on its mission to transform lives through education, research, innovation, and service, while providing high-quality, compassionate patient care and positively impacting the community.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

UM is proposing that the area across from the University Metrorail Station along Ponce de Leon Blvd. \u2014 essentially the location of the yellow lot <\/a>\u2014 be rezoned to a University Use Multi-Use Area, suggesting that this may be where UM envisions a future hospital.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Screenshot of the Amended Zoning Map from the Coral Gables public records. The highlighted areas indicate where UM is asking for the land to be changed to \u201cUniversity Use Multi-Use Area.\u201d \/\/ Screenshot via public records. <\/p>\n

Additionally, the new deal would allow for UM to enroll 17,500 undergraduate students, compared to the 13,000 permitted under the old terms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This is approximately a 35% increase in the undergraduate population.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If the population were to exceed 17,500, UM would need to address traffic, housing and other concerns with the city as per the agreement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Along with the increased population cap, UM\u2019s campus boundaries would expand.\u00a0<\/p>\n

UM requested that three properties \u2014 1530 Levante Avenue, 5827 Ponce de Leon Blvd. and 5855 Ponce de Leon Blvd. \u2014 located near Titanic Brewery and Restaurant be rezoned from the \u201cCommercial Low-Rise Intensity category to the University Campus category.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Screenshot of Google Maps showing the three property locations that UM is proposing be rezoned. \/\/ Screenshot via Google Maps.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Screenshot of the Amended Future Land Use Map from the public records. The highlighted areas indicate properties that UM is proposing be rezoned to \u201cUniversity Campus.\u201d \/\/ Screenshot via public records. <\/p>\n

Within the land that the University already owns, the proposed deal would change the \u201cfixed development cap\u201d of 6.8 million acres to a Floor Area Ratio (FAR) structure. Areas with higher FAR values can be more densely<\/a> built, making the land more efficient.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The proposal allows for an FAR of 1.0.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, if UM owned a 10,000-square-foot lot, the University would be allowed to build 10,000 square feet of total floor space. The floor space could be one 10,000-square-foot story, two 5,000-square-foot stories, and so on. The total just cannot exceed 10,000 square feet.<\/p>\n

Stairwells, trash chutes, electrical rooms and other similar spaces have been excluded from the FAR.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Screenshot of the Adopted Campus Master Plan from the public records. \/\/ Screenshot via public records. <\/p>\n

What would the University give?<\/p>\n

In return, UM will transfer the 5.52 acres of land known as the Lee Lincoln Site \u2014 worth an estimated $50 million<\/a> \u2014 to the city. The site sits between Granada Blvd. and Ponce de Leon, behind the Mahoney-Person parking garage and East of campus.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The park will be renamed \u201cCentennial Park\u201d in honor of the city and UM\u2019s 100th year and will be restricted to \u201cancillary recreational purposes,\u201d making it the largest green space owned by Coral Gables.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Screenshot of Google Maps image showing where the Lee Lincoln site is in relation to campus and nearby roads. \/\/ Screenshot via Google Maps.<\/p>\n

The Hurricane reached out to Mayor Lago for comment and has not yet received a response.\u00a0<\/p>\n

UM will also pay the city $1 million annually, with a 4% annual increase, and will continue its partnership with athletics. Specifically, the University will continue to offer \u201cCoral Gables Day,\u201d where football tickets are \u201cBuy One, Get Two Free\u201d for one agreed-upon home game, and continue giving out 1,000 free tickets for men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball and baseball.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many of UM\u2019s existing partnerships with the city would continue as well. The Gables Fellow Program, an internship program for students committed to public service; UM\u2019s lecture series; the UM Concert Series; and more will remain in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What else is UM planning?<\/p>\n

Also in the filings, the University listed the buildings it plans to demolish. Notably, the list includes Mahoney and Pearson Residential Colleges, the Toppel Career Center, the Whitten Learning Center and Meyer Law Administration (A).\u00a0<\/p>\n

The proposed deal also highlights \u201cFuture Building,\u201d including a Football Operations Building, a School of Architecture Addition, a theatre and a building titled \u201cSTEM B.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Screenshot of the first page of the Campus Master Development Chart. The orange highlight indicates \u201cExisting to be Demolished\u201d as per the key in the top left corner. \/\/ Screenshot via the public records. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Screenshot of the second page of the Campus Master Development Chart. The orange highlight indicates \u201cExisting to be Demolished\u201d as per the key in the top left corner. \/\/ Screenshot via the public records. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Screenshot of the first page of the Campus Master Development Chart. The orange highlight indicates \u201cExisting to be Demolished\u201d as per the key in the top left corner. \/\/ Screenshot via the public records. <\/p>\n

What is the status of this deal?<\/p>\n

The proposal was submitted to Coral Gables\u2019 Development Review Committee on June 26 and now requires approval from the Planning & Zoning Board. If approved, the city commissioners will make a final vote.<\/p>\n

Because the pieces of this proposed deal are connected, if one piece fails, the others may not be implemented as intended.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Hurricane is in contact with UM and working to schedule an interview with the administration.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Brian Mulvey Photo Editor \/\/ Ibises gather at Granada Land Park on Feb. 28, 2026. If passed, a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":344854,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[123,125,124],"class_list":["post-344853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-miami","tag-miami","tag-miami-headlines","tag-miami-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=344853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/344853\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/344854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=344853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=344853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=344853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}