BridgePrep Academy Secured Miami Shopping Center Lease
The charter school operator signed a 56,000-square-foot lease at the California Club Shopping Center in Miami.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Commercial
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BridgePrep Academy has signed a new lease for a 56,000-square-foot space at the California Club Shopping Center. The property is located at 750 Ives Dairy Road, approximately 15 miles north of Downtown Miami.
Why it matters
The deal helps address the shortage of properties suitable for educational operators in the Miami area. The location will serve as the latest expansion for the organization, which already maintains 19 campuses across Florida.
The school secured 56,000 square feet within a 273,050-square-foot shopping center. This facility previously housed Waterways Preparatory Academy.
The players
BridgePrep Academy
This charter school operator currently manages 19 locations throughout the state of Florida.
RK Centers
This company is the owner and manager of the California Club Shopping Center.
CBRE
This is a commercial real estate services and investment firm that represented the school in this transaction.
The details
Brokerage firm CBRE represented the tenant in the transaction for the Ives Estates property. The school will join existing tenants at the site, including Planet Fitness, Five Below, and Burlington.
Timeline
The lease agreement was finalized as of October 9, 2026.
Waterways Preparatory Academy occupied the space during 2025.
Culture Shift
The transition of retail environments into schools reflects the broader trend of educational operators repurposing vacant shopping center space in Florida. This shift highlights a departure from traditional retail-only models toward mixed-use community hubs.
Local residents will see a change in the tenant mix at the California Club Shopping Center as the new school replaces the former educational facility. Families in the Ives Estates area may find increased access to school facilities within a familiar retail hub.
The takeaway
Repurposing existing commercial shopping centers allows growing organizations to secure large footprints in established residential areas. This strategy serves as an efficient path to expansion in markets where new site development is limited.
Further reading
For more information on the local property market, visit Miami Commercial.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Commercial Observer.
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