Miami-Dade Schools awards $85M contract for Arthur & Polly Mays K-12 Conservatory of the Arts Project
The Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) School Board has commissioned the James B. Pirtle Construction Company and Silva Architects LLC to deliver an $85 million redevelopment project that will consolidate Arthur & Polly Mays 6–12 Conservatory of the Arts and Pine Villa Elementary into a single K–12 campus. The decision was approved during the School […] The post Miami-Dade Schools awards $85M contract for Arthur & Polly Mays K-12 Conservatory of the Arts Project appeared first on CNW Network.
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The Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) School Board has commissioned the James B. Pirtle Construction Company and Silva Architects LLC to deliver an $85 million redevelopment project that will consolidate Arthur & Polly Mays 6–12 Conservatory of the Arts and Pine Villa Elementary into a single K–12 campus.
The decision was approved during the School Board’s regular meeting last Wednesday.
The project will create the Arthur & Polly Mays K–12 Conservatory of the Arts Academy, featuring a Lower Academy (K–5) and an Upper Academy (grades 6–12). It is scheduled for completion in June 2029.
As part of the redevelopment, 13 existing buildings from Arthur & Polly Mays 6–12 Conservatory will be demolished, while 15 structures from Pine Villa Elementary will be retrofitted to support the new combined campus.
The Lower Academy will include kindergarten, intermediate, and exceptional bilingual education classrooms, alongside dedicated art spaces and a music lab. The Upper Academy will feature classrooms for English, mathematics, social studies, journalism, and science demonstration labs, as well as computer labs, skills development areas, and a Language Arts Black Box Theatre.
Specialized facilities will include art, music, band, vocal, piano, and guitar labs, in addition to a new media center and a state-of-the-art broadcasting (CCTV) lab.
The campus design also incorporates athletics and wellness amenities, including locker rooms, a gymnastics area, a dance studio, a weight room, and a covered play area.
Administrative and support spaces will include a historical exhibit area, a community partnership suite, administrative offices, student services, and an integrated suite for the Children’s Home Society, reflecting an ongoing partnership to support students in need.
Dining facilities will feature a full kitchen with indoor dining for K–5 students, as well as indoor and outdoor dining areas for grades 6–12.
A 700-seat auditorium will anchor the campus’s performing arts infrastructure, complete with a stage, orchestra pit, storage space, prop area, dressing rooms, green room, and control booth/projection room. The auditorium will also include a lobby, concessions area, and ticket booth.
Site improvements will include a redesigned façade along SW 216th Street and a new entry plaza intended to serve as a neighborhood landmark. A secure K–5 entry plaza will also function as a student assembly space and outdoor learning area with integrated seating.
Transportation infrastructure will include two bus drop-off zones and one parent drop-off area. Outdoor amenities will feature new hard courts, playground equipment, and additional covered recreational space.
In parallel, M-DCPS Procurement Management is pursuing a public-private partnership to lease adjacent parcels of land to a private developer. The initiative, which is not part of the current construction scope, is expected to support workforce housing for teachers, support staff, and the surrounding community.
The project also places emphasis on sustainability, targeting an Energy Use Intensity (EUI) of 25 or lower—well below the typical building average of 56. The development will adhere to nationally recognized green building rating systems.
Additionally, the project will include an energy model and a Life Cycle Cost Analysis to assess long-term efficiency, using computer-based simulations to evaluate energy consumption and material performance over time.
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