Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other top state officials have approved the transfer of a parking lot adjacent to Miami’s Freedom Tower for the planned Donald Trump presidential library. The decision was made as part of their roles on the board of the state’s Internal Improvement Trust Fund, with Attorney General James Uthmeier, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson joining DeSantis in a unanimous vote.
The 2.6-acre parcel at 500-540 Biscayne Boulevard is currently used by Miami Dade College employees. Last week, the college’s board of trustees agreed to give the land to the state, paving the way for Tuesday’s vote. Miami Dade College had purchased the property in 2004 for $25 million, but previous development efforts did not move forward.
Freedom Tower, owned by Miami-Dade College and located near the site, is considered one of downtown Miami’s most significant historic buildings. Built in 1925, it has served various roles over its history, including as a refugee center for Cuban immigrants during the 1960s and 1970s. The building recently underwent a $25 million renovation.
“Having the Trump Presidential Library in Miami will be good for Florida, for the city, and for Miami Dade College,” DeSantis said in a statement. If built, it would be Florida’s first presidential library.
Donald Trump resides primarily at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach. Eric Trump, his son and co-leader of The Trump Organization based in New York, confirmed that plans are moving ahead: “It will be the greatest Presidential Library ever built, honoring the greatest President our Nation has ever known,” Eric Trump wrote on X. “This will be one of the most beautiful buildings ever built, an Icon on the Miami skyline.”
