Coral Gables Expansion: New University of Southernmost Florida

The quality of education is one of the biggest magnets for those seeking to move to the area and buy or rent Coral Gables real estate. Dade Medical College is no exception to City Beautiful’s high standards and it has expanded to include a new property, the University of Southernmost Florida slated to open for classes early next year. 

According to the Miami Herald: the school which is designated as for-profit, did not disclose its location to owners of Coral Gables real estate, but the school administration did reveal to the press that it is negotiating for 20,000 to 30,000 square feet of classroom space.

According to Coral Gables City Manager Pat Salerno, the college is not building a new site for its proposed classrooms but moving into existing office space, which has already been secured. A new corporate office at 95 Merrick Way is also expected to open by the end of 2012. 
Dade Medical College has also secured space for its corporate office. 

In the words of Dade Medical College president and CEO, Ernesto Perez: “We are in the middle of negotiating in the heart of Coral Gables and haven’t signed a lease yet, “What we are looking to do is bring something convenient for students and to the service of the community.”

Currently, Dade Medical School has four campuses that serve about 2,000 students from Jacksonville to Homestead, with branches in Miami, Miami Lakes, West Palm Beach and Hollywood. A member of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce since 2009, courses of study include degrees in: nursing and practical nursing, diagnostic cardiac sonography and medical ultrasound, general radiological technology, healthcare management, medical assistant, massage therapy and medical billing and coding. 

Before Dade Medical College’ purchased the school, those who own Coral Gables real estate knew the University of Southernmost Florida by its former name; Southern Career College. Planned for an opening in February of 2012, college president, Perez, hopes that the Medical College will become a feeder site to the University of Southernmost Florida, serving about 1,000 new students over the course of the next two years. 

He says: “We are setting up for our kids who will fully transfer credits into the University of Southernmost Florida and they won’t be limited to the healthcare field. They can also earn an MBA in healthcare administration; there are a lot of plans.”

We all know what happens sometimes to “the best laid plans of mice and men” according to one very eloquent Elizabethan bard, but as far as the University of Southernmost Florida is concerned, fruition is a done deal and any thoughts to the contrary are quite frankly, ”much ado about nothing.”