Council approves internal switch from culinary to nursing at Southplace City Center campus

The Town of Cutler Bay on March 18 approved a staff-recommended modification to the conditional-use resolution for the educational facility inside the Southplace City Center (formerly Southland Mall), allowing the National College of Business and Technology, operating as Northridge University, to replace its planned culinary program with a nursing program and slightly increase interior square footage.

Planning and zoning director Julian Perez told the council the application was reviewed under the town’s conditional-use and education-use standards and met all required criteria. The applicant agreed to conditions intended to provide community benefits: offering at least five faculty-supervised active-adult classes or workshops annually, participation or sponsorship of town active-adult wellness programming, and integration with local initiatives such as walking programs and wellness activities.

Applicant representative Miguel Diaz de Laorta said the change is an internal reconfiguration consolidating dispersed campus spaces into one cohesive area and will not alter the mall’s external footprint or the town’s larger redevelopment plan. The footprint increase is modest — about 1,072 square feet — and the applicant represented that the program complements the town’s aging population by offering nursing and allied-health training on site.

There were no public speakers on the item. Council member Duncan praised the pivot to nursing, calling it a positive fit for the town’s active-adult demographic. The council voted by roll call; all members present voted yes.

The resolution authorizes the town manager and staff to finalize the conditional-use amendment and implement the agreed conditions. The change will allow the institution to expand nursing instruction at the Cutler Bay campus while maintaining community programming commitments.