News Detail
City Commission approves La Brisa plan
Dear RE Community,
I have wonderful news to share: Ransom Everglades this afternoon received City of Miami approval for its plans for the La Brisa land that we acquired in the summer of 2016!
The Miami City Commission voted unanimously to support our plan for incorporating the property’s idyllic seven acres into our current Upper School campus. The decision at City Hall allows us to gradually lift the cover off the La Brisa land and begin the exciting process of integrating it into student life. It paves the way for the revitalization of the existing Upper School campus through our REinventing Excellence campaign, beginning this summer with the construction of a new STEM Center. 
Penny Townsend
Head of School
Back
This decision also validates the 19 months of hard work and thoughtful planning that went into presenting our vision for the future of our school. Commissioners supported our plan because it will ensure the prosperity of generations of students while also respecting the natural riches of Coconut Grove. I am proud that, throughout this process, we remained faithful to our school’s values.
So many people contributed to this effort that it would be impossible to name everyone, but I would like to express my gratitude to a few whose labors truly carried us across the finish line: Thank you to our legal team, John Shubin ’79, Amy Huber and Rachel Streitfeld; our architectural team led by Carlos Prio-Touzet ’72 and Jacqueline Gonzalez; attorney W. Tucker Gibbs ’72; landscape architect Jennie Rogers; arborist Lisa Hammer; traffic engineer Joaquin Vargas; master planner Cal Bowie; parking expert Tom Butcher; land surveyor Anthony Campanile; entrepreneur Jose Goyanes; and engineer Joaquin Mojica.
Board Chair Rudy Prio Touzet ’76, Vice Chair Andrew L. Ansin ’81 and the rest of the board showed the foresight and wisdom to purchase the La Brisa land, and the dedication to usher it through the permitting process. I offer a special thanks to my colleague Jim Cowgill, RE’s Chief Financial Officer, who has worked tirelessly to ensure this project's success.
I'm also grateful to the dozens who wrote letters on the school's behalf or showed up to today's hearing, and the many who spoke during the public comments period. That group included students Tomas Gomez '18, Chris Kucera '18, Lauren Marx '18, Alex Mendelson '19, Paulina Pages '18, Juan Roca-Paisley '19, Ryan Sears '18 and Hannah Tacher Lois '18 – thanks to all of you! It was a proud moment when Commission Chair Keon Hardemon summoned Ryan and Hannah to serve as honorary co-chairs.
A final thank you to all of the administration, faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni who have supported Ransom Everglades School. With this go-ahead from the city, we will soon be able to share the La Brisa property with our community. We will continue to forge ahead with the REinvention of our Upper School campus and all of the school’s programs, guided by our five initiatives: Enriching the curriculum; building the best faculty; integrating technology creatively; upgrading buildings, facilities and spaces; and developing RE as an institution.
Tonight is truly a night for celebration!
We will keep you informed as we continue our journey to an incredible future.
Best regards,
Penny Townsend
Head of School
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
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Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. It is rated the top private school in Miami and among the 10 private schools in North America. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.
Ransom Everglades School®, The RE Way®, RE Pathways® and Bowden Fellowships in the Humanities™ are trademarks of Ransom Everglades School.
Ransom Everglades School®, The RE Way®, RE Pathways® and Bowden Fellowships in the Humanities™ are trademarks of Ransom Everglades School.