A longtime Miami Beach private school campus that housed Le Petit Papillon Montessori has changed hands, selling to a for-profit buyer for $19 million in a deal that puts a rare institutional site on Normandy Isles into play.
According to the South Florida Business Journal, Papillon Montessori sold the property to a for-profit company for $19 million. The Business Journal reported the transaction on June 23.
The property up close
The campus, at 1021 Biarritz Drive on Normandy Isles, spans roughly an acre and includes multiple classroom buildings along with outdoor play areas. Commercial marketing earlier this spring showed the property listed with an asking price near $20 million, according to eXp Realty. Marketing materials pitched the site as turnkey for another school operator or adaptable for other institutional uses.
Records and school history
County property profiles and commercial data identify Le Petit Papillon as the long-time owner, with the land use recorded as educational. Public property summaries also spell out the parcel’s lot size and municipal zoning, key details that will shape any future reuse or redevelopment. Those records are available in public property profiles for the site.
Why the sale matters
Investors have been busy this spring targeting school-anchored and charter-occupied properties across South Florida, chasing steady income or the possibility of redevelopment. One recent example is a Broward County charter-anchored retail center that sold for $21.5 million, as detailed in coverage of how a Margate charter plaza fetches $21.5M. The Papillon Montessori campus adds a scarce Miami Beach option to that same investor trend.
What the new owner plans for the property is not yet clear. Continuing school operations, bringing in a new for-profit operator, or pursuing a redevelopment would all require city approvals and community review. This story will be updated as additional details surface in public records or from local officials.
