Plans for FIU’s CasaCuba cultural center move forward as questions emerge over the future of the former FIJI House, which was included in the project.
Shane Miller | Staff Writer
CasaCuba, a cultural and historic center dedicated to preserving and celebrating Cuban-American heritage, is slated to break ground on the MMC Campus in 2026. The main building of CasaCuba, the Benjamín León Jr. Building, was revealed in several CGI renderings released in early 2025.
The CasaCuba complex will be constructed near the university’s main SW 107th Avenue entrance, positioned behind several fraternity houses along the campus perimeter. While CasaCuba is currently making temporary use of the former Fiji House, FIU officials have clarified that the building is not part of CasaCuba’s permanent footprint and is unrelated to the new construction project.
Maydel Santana, Associate Vice President of Communications and Media Relations at FIU, confirmed that the former Fiji House and CasaCuba are completely unrelated buildings, and that the Fiji House is not included in CasaCuba’s long-term development plans.
“At the moment, CasaCuba is using the space,” Santana wrote. “When the new building is finished, there will be no connection between CasaCuba and the former Fiji house.”
The building, which once served as the chapter house for Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI), has been vacant since the fraternity was suspended from FIU in 2017 following an off-campus incident involving underage drinking. Although the fraternity was later re-established on campus, FIU officials indicated that they have no information regarding the future use or ownership of the former house.
CasaCuba leadership previously confirmed that the former Fiji House is currently serving as a temporary “showroom” space while planning and construction efforts continue. No timeline has been announced for when CasaCuba will vacate the building.
The refounded Phi Gamma Delta chapter at FIU was contacted for comment regarding speculation about the building’s future but had not responded as of publication.
About Post Author
