Crystal Academy, a Coral Gables school for children with autism and developmental disabilities, will get a purpose-built, 6,700-square-foot facility and playground at no rent for 99 years after the City Commission approved the Crystal Residences development on a 3-1 vote.
City Commission approves project on 3-1 vote
The Aug. 26 vote caps a five-year approval process for the nine-story, mixed-use project at 110 Phoenetia Ave. in the North Ponce neighborhood. Mayor Vince Lago, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson and Commissioner Richard Lara voted yes. Commissioner Melissa Castro voted no. Commissioner Ariel Fernandez was absent.
Developer commits to building new school
Chicago-based Fifield Companies will build the 184-unit residential project, which also includes 16 live-work townhomes and more than 20,500 square feet of open space. The developer committed to constructing Crystal Academy's new school and completing its full interior buildout, including walls, bathrooms, cabinetry and fixtures, at an estimated cost of roughly $1 million, the Gables Gazette reported.
That commitment grew between the project's first reading on July 7 and final approval. Fifield increased the school's planned space by 35%, from 5,000 to 6,700 square feet. The company also expanded its scope from providing only the exterior shell to finishing the interior.
Founder describes crumbling current building
"There is no way we could stay in that building anymore," founder Mary Palacio told the Miami Herald after the vote, describing structural problems at the current school including a leaking roof and a bathtub sinking through the floor.
Crystal Academy's mission and history
Palacio, the mother of a child with autism, founded Crystal Academy more than 16 years ago. The school provides occupational, behavioral, speech and music therapies and teaches students practical skills such as making purchases, preparing food and using public transportation.
Land sale once threatened school's future
The property at 110 Phoenetia Ave. was previously owned by the Church of St. James Evangelical Lutheran, which sold it in November 2021 for $9.75 million. When the sale threatened Crystal Academy's future on the site, Fifield committed to keeping the school and building it a new facility rent-free for 99 years, according to Miami Today.
Public playground and oak tree relocation planned
The project also includes about 4,000 square feet dedicated to a children's park and playground open to the public outside school hours. The development team committed to relocating a mature live oak on the property to another spot on-site.
Construction timeline and temporary housing plans
Construction is not expected to begin until early 2028. Fifield Vice President of Development Sarina Sorrentino told the Herald the company hopes to have the building ready by early 2030. Finding a temporary space for Crystal Academy during construction is the company's top priority, Sorrentino said.
