UHealth SoLé Mia Topping Off Ceremony Signifies Transformative Change in North Miami
World-class care in academic medicine came one step closer to reality in North Miami and the surrounding communities as UHealth – University of Miami Health System held a topping-off ceremony to celebrate the structural completion of what will be its largest ambulatory medical facility, UHealth SoLé Mia.
More than 50 attendees arrived at the main construction site at SoLé Mia, the 184-acre mixed-use development, to witness the progress of the state-of-the-art facility, scheduled to open in the summer of 2025. The new 363,000-square-foot medical center will provide a myriad of specialty care backed by academic medicine.
“Today, we are one step closer to bringing world-class academic medicine to this surrounding area,” said Dipen J. Parekh, M.D., chief operating officer of UHealth. “This facility will serve as part of our transformative expansion, as it will be a home for world-class, compassionate care and a crown jewel that instills hope in our patients.”
Celebrating the Future of Health Care
As speakers shared their remarks, themes of academic medicine and improved access to patients resonated, stressing the value of UHealth’s imprint on the community.
“Today, we stand on the threshold of a new era,” said Alix Desulme, City of North Miami mayor. “Upon completion, this structure will serve as a beacon of excellence. UHealth SoLé Mia is a symbol of our community to provide top-notch medical care. We celebrate this significant milestone and promise for our community for a brighter and healthier future.”
A symbolic ceremony to commemorate achieving the highest construction point included various UHealth and community leaders marking their footprints in slabs of cement, signifying that the medical center is “one step closer” to completion.
Displayed in front of the site, the final beam atop the structure preserved the spirit of the topping-off ceremony. Dozens of signatures from UHealth employees and the construction workforce covered the beam. Tours were also held with the help of AR experiences as participants got to view a second-floor OR room, the future lagoon view with expansion sites on the third floor and an aerial view from the fifth-floor rooftop. The workforce was also recognized with a congratulatory lunch held for the 400 construction workers who have tirelessly been bringing the structure to life.
“This is an amazing project as we celebrate UHealth’s day to shine,” said Jamie LeFrak, principal and vice chair of LeFrak. “Thank you all for this addition to our community, as this building will be the most modern and high-tech in Florida for years to come. UHealth SoLé Mia will be the best opportunity for health services in the northern half of Dade and Broward Counties. It will become the anchor employer for our community; all are welcome and invited to enjoy the city. We can’t wait to welcome them in person.”
Raising the Standard in Academic Medicine
UHealth SoLé Mia will be a seven-story facility featuring 110 exam rooms, 10 operating rooms and 33 clinical cancer treatment units. It will also include open green spaces, including a reflection garden with views of the ocean and SoLé Mia’s seven-acre Crystal Lagoon, with its design intended to help enhance the patient experience for those receiving extended medical services.
Specialty care will include oncology services from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, the region’s only National Institute of Cancer (NCI)-designated cancer center; Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the country’s No. 1 ranked eye hospital by U.S. News & World Report; and Desai Sethi Urology Institute, as well as nationally ranked programs in neurology and neurosurgery. Additional medical specialties will include cardiology, endocrinology, otolaryngology, gastroenterology, dermatology, orthopedics and sports medicine, physical rehabilitation, and more.
“This is a day that signifies progress, healing and community,” said Joseph Cula, a patient at Sylvester. “The doctors at Sylvester offered me outstanding medical care, support and encouragement. Today, I am grateful for the medical professionals at UHealth and this building, which represents hope and a place where lives will be saved, and miracles will happen.”
UHealth SoLé Mia is among the many transformative projects taking place for the health system. UHealth Doral is set to open in fall 2024, and the Kenneth C. Griffin Cancer Research Building is scheduled to open in 2025.
Tags: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Desai Sethi Urology Institute, Dr. Dipen Parekh, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health System