In 2013, Miami-Dade County (County) authorized the addition of the Miami-Dade Empowerment Center (Center) to the County’s Economic Stimulus Program. The Center serves as a safe shelter, providing additional housing for victims of domestic violence and their children. Located in Homestead, Florida, the 26,000 square foot Center provides 60 additional beds to the current inventory of County facilities, with space for future improvements. The Center is fully airconditioned, with kitchens to facilitate meal preparation and dining, laundry facilities, communal spaces, secure outdoor play spaces, a pet kennel, and a security entrance.

WGI provided boundary and topographic survey services, including a detailed tree survey to support the design phase of the project. The nine-acre county-owned parcel featured demolished housing and overgrown infrastructure, foundations, and vegetation.

Due to the County’s extensive workload, the schedule for this project had to be accommodated within other priority projects. After initially awarded in 2013, WGI worked closely with the County and accelerated or paused on various tasks as requested. In addition to this very dynamic schedule, WGI also coordinated with multiple departments to ultimately get the County’s final approval. Throughout this entire process, WGI utilized our extensive, local municipal experience and contacts by working hand-in-hand with the County’s Facilities and Infrastructure Management to allow for variances and extensions. WGI later provided an updated boundary and topographic survey along with a Tentative Plat which then ultimately led to the Final Plat.