Construction Begins on Long-Awaited Student Center
After years of planning, phase 1 of the Student Center is now underway. Demolition began in the F-section on April 30th. Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón, S.J., Ed.D., ’87, and Mr. José E. Roca ’84 were joined by benefactors Carlos and Jessica Bonzon and newly elected Student Council President Ernesto Díaz ’27 and Vice-President Daniel Orta ’27, to mark the occasion in a small ceremony inside the senior section. Click here to watch the video.
“It’s an honor to be part of Belen’s history and growth by participating in this special moment,” said Díaz ’27. “I speak for the student body when I say we are excited to see the outcome and look forward to the Class of 2027 being the first to enjoy the new space.”
During this initial phase, classes have been temporarily relocated to other areas on campus. The Jessica & Carlos Bonzon Wing is expected to be completed in early Fall. This modernized space will align with the recently renovated classrooms in the José Milton Foundation Main Building and will include a dedicated lounge area for seniors.
Construction will continue with the E-section, College Counseling Offices, and the Carlos M. Barañano Technology Center. These essential services are already being seamlessly integrated into their temporary homes: College Counseling has relocated to the Ignatian Center for the Arts, while the Tech Team is now serving the community from the second floor of the Shanley Family Administration Building.
The final phase of this multi-year project will be the most ambitious. It will include enhancements to the school’s main entrance façade and a complete renovation of the Ramón Guiteras Memorial Library. Once completed, the Student Center will house the Kadre Counseling Center—bringing together School and College Counseling—the Ramón Guiteras Memorial Library, and dynamic, flexible spaces designed to support student life and foster community. Phase 2 is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2027 and is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete.
Every brick laid and wall moved aligns with Belen Jesuit’s Strategic Plan, ensuring our facilities match our commitment to academic excellence and our Catholic, Jesuit mission.
“Projects like the Student Center don’t happen on their own,” said Fr. Willie. “They are made possible through the generosity and commitment of our community—especially those who support the Fund for Belen and make capital gifts. I am deeply grateful to the Bonzon family for helping bring this first phase to life. There is still much to be done, and we invite our community to be part of what comes next.”
We remain committed to forming young men in the tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola, where academic excellence, faith formation, and student well-being go hand in hand. To learn how you can contribute to this transformative chapter of Belen Jesuit, please contact Phil Fernández ’94 at ffernandez@belenjesuit.org or call 305-804-7683.
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba, by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the school's property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit is situated on a 34-acre site in western Dade County, just minutes away from downtown Miami.