Gunster shareholder James R. Williams Jr. secured approval of two major school projects in Miami-Dade County on behalf of Academir Charter Schools, Inc.: a new 1,600-student middle-high school campus and the expansion of an existing PK-8 campus to a maximum enrollment of 766 students.
The approvals are among the first charter school applications approved through Miami-Dade County's new administrative school review process, which implements recent changes to Florida law requiring charter schools to be treated equitably with traditional public schools in site planning and development review. Williams worked closely with Miami-Dade County staff to help implement and navigate this new process.
"These approvals represent an important milestone for Academir and for the County’s more efficient administrative review process for charter school facilities," said Williams. "We congratulate Academir on these important steps forward for its students, families and surrounding communities."
Academir Charter School Middle-High New School Campus
In the first matter, Williams represented Academir in securing approval for the proposed Academir Charter School Middle-High School in unincorporated Miami-Dade County.
The approved grades 6-12 campus, located near SW 147th Avenue and SW 30th Street, sits on approximately 8.92 acres and is approved for up to 1,600 students.
Academir Charter School West PK-8 Campus Expansion
The existing Academir Charter School West PK-8 campus at 14880 SW 26th Street was expanded through the addition of the adjoining property at 2710 SW 148th Path, creating a unified 3.03-acre educational campus. Through a coordinated approval strategy, Williams secured approvals to increase the school's maximum enrollment from 618 to 766 students while integrating the adjoining parcel into a single campus.
The approvals allow Academir to add an adjoining parcel, increase maximum enrollment from 618 to 766 students, and adjust arrival and dismissal times for the expanded campus.
Collectively, the approvals help Academir expand educational opportunities in western Miami-Dade County and establish one of the County's first administrative school approval pathways for charter facilities.
Congratulations to Academir Charter Schools, Inc. and the full design, planning, and consultant team on these important approvals.
James R. Williams Jr. is a Miami real estate attorney who focuses his practice in the areas of governmental advocacy, land use and zoning, and environmental law. He represents international, national, and local developers and property owners in securing entitlements and permits for a broad range of developments consisting of, but not limited to, single-family and multifamily residential, commercial, office, mixed-use, industrial, religious, educational, and medical. He represents clients before all of the counties and many of the municipalities in South Florida, such as Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami, the City of Doral, the City of Homestead, and the City of South Miami.
