Miami Dade College takes over operation of the Tower Theater in Little Havana again on Sunday, Nov. 1, six weeks before the Calle Ocho movie house marks its 100th anniversary on Dec. 10. The college says daily programming will follow starting in January.

The City of Miami owns the building at 1508 SW 8th Street, and Miami Dade College will run it. The college announced its plans in a letter to the theater's supporters, published on the Miami Film Festival's website.

What the college is fixing

Miami Dade College says its teams walked through the whole building with the city and are working on a transition, maintenance and improvement plan. The list covers the theater's projection and screening equipment, its electrical systems, the air conditioning and the roof, along with other facility needs that affect the experience in the seats.

The college has also launched a new Tower Theater Miami website and visual identity. For now the site reads Returns Soon, with a mailing list sign-up and a form for anyone who wants to rent the theater, and the college has reopened bookings for 2027.

A century on Calle Ocho

The Tower was built in 1926, during the Miami land boom, when the southwest part of the city was being laid out as new neighborhoods, according to the City of Miami's historic preservation office. The architect was Robert Law Weed. It was fully renovated in 1931, and the city designated it a historic site in 2013.

After the Cuban Revolution the neighborhood around it became Little Havana, and the theater took on a new role. The city's historic record notes that many Cuban exiles learned English at the Tower by watching American movies with Spanish subtitles, and for many it was a first introduction to American culture. Miami Dade College describes it as one of Miami's earliest theaters to show Spanish-language films and a cultural home for generations of Cuban immigrants.

The college thanked Mayor Higgins, the City Commission and the city's DREAM Office for their work on the handover.

What happens next

The college plans to share updates from inside the theater as it counts down to the Dec. 10 anniversary. Daily film programming starts in January 2027. Until then, the Miami Film Festival's year-round screenings continue, and its GEMS showcase runs through Nov. 5.

Tower Theater Miami, 1508 SW 8th Street, Little Havana. Updates, the mailing list and rental requests are at towertheatermiami.com.

Sources