FIU reveals renderings of CasaCuba. Here’s what the $40 million project will look like

Florida International University on Tuesday unveiled the architectural renderings of the $40 million building that will house CasaCuba, an academic and cultural center showcasing Cuban and Cuban-American heritage.

The idea for CasaCuba has been in development for nearly a decade as FIU sought to anchor its extensive Cuban-related archives, including the largest collection of Cuban music outside the island.

“There was a real understanding that Cuba is in FIU’s DNA,” said Lili Betancourt Space, CasaCuba’s executive director.

FIU launched the fundraising campaign for CasaCuba in early 2020, but then COVID-19 disrupted plans, Betancourt Space said. She joined the project in 2019 and took over as executive director in September 2023.

“The pandemic hit, and conversations really became centered around, well, do we even need buildings anymore?” she said.

But the team emerged from the pandemic with a renewed appreciation for a physical space to foster connection and engagement.

The 43,000-square-foot Benjamín León Jr. building, which will be housed on FIU’s main campus in southwest Miami-Dade, will be designed by the architectural firm HKS and built by Thornton Construction. It will feature galleries, exhibition spaces, classrooms and event venues, blending Cuban and American elements. The design incorporates indoor-outdoor spaces inspired by the shared climate of Cuba and South Florida.

“The students have to be at the center of all that we do here,” said Betancourt Space, noting CasaCuba will honor the stories of those displaced from Cuba while serving as a welcoming space for the community.

The fundraising campaign has already raised $30 million of its $40 million goal. The Knight Foundation provided over $4 million, including $2 million for the design.

Other key supporters include CasaCuba board chair Mario Murgado of Murgado Automotive Group and billionaire businessman Jorge Mas.

“CasaCuba represents the heart and soul of our community, a place where the rich heritage of the Cuban diaspora will be celebrated, studied and preserved,” Murgado said.

Benjamín León Jr

The building is named after Benjamín León Jr., the founder of Miami’s Leon Medical Centers, who contributed $10 million to the project.

“I’m very happy. I feel very grateful to God for the opportunity to be a part of the creation of one of the most important projects for Cubans,” said León after last year’s announcement.

León, 80, who was recently nominated by President Trump as ambassador to Spain, is an exile who came to Miami in 1961.

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“It’s an enormous source of pride for the building to have his name,” said Betancourt Space. “[He] really embodies the Cuban-American story. He has been instrumental in shaping healthcare, not just in South Florida, but throughout the United States.”

This is the second FIU facility named after León Jr.; the Benjamín León Center for Geriatric Research & Education was established in 2008.

For Betancourt Space, a first-generation Cuban American, CasaCuba is deeply personal. She hopes the Spanish accents in León’s name will inspire students.

Construction is expected to take 12 to 18 months, with an anticipated opening in 2027. Donors contributing at least $500 before the groundbreaking will be recognized as founding donors.

“It is important that everyone has the opportunity to be a part of CasaCuba and contribute to its construction,” Betancourt Space said.

Here is what CasaCuba is expected to look like, based on the architectural renderings:

This story was originally published January 28, 2025 at 4:37 PM.