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Building a Place Families Can Trust: Lightbridge Academy Westchase
When Hetal Shah set out to open the first Lightbridge Academy, an early childhood education center, in Tampa, she wanted to create a place where working families could feel completely comfortable leaving their children each day.
Lightbridge Academy’s Circle of Care philosophy is centered around creating a safe, welcoming environment for children while supporting their families, teachers and the surrounding community. That meant every detail of the new location, from the classrooms and common spaces to its extensive safety features, needed to reflect the experience families expect from a premier childcare center.
After spending more than a year searching for the right real estate, Shah connected with Ramos Companies to bring the school to life. From the first conversation, she felt the teams were aligned. “Every detail counts,” Shah said. “This is a premier school, and that alignment in our core values is what sold us.”
The project would be a first for both teams. It was the first Lightbridge Academy in the Tampa market and the first childcare facility developed by Ramos Companies. Lightbridge provided a detailed milestone checklist and facility requirements, while Ramos worked closely with Shah and the franchise team to bring the vision to life.
One of the biggest priorities was timing. Shah and her partners had committed to opening for the summer, making it important to keep the project moving and quickly address issues as they came up.
For Shah, the communication from Ramos made a difference. “When I called, I could get someone immediately,” she said. “They were always there to guide us, provide support and answer questions quickly. Communication was always open.”
The Ramos team regularly visited the site to check on progress and make sure work was being completed as expected. When challenges arose, their local relationships also helped keep things moving. Shah recalled an issue with water meters that could have created delays. Ramos was able to reach the right contacts and help work through the issue.
“Customer service was awesome,” Shah said. “The conversations were honest and very straightforward. The network they have really helps a lot, and that is extremely important.”
Attention to detail was especially important for a childcare facility where safety is a top priority. The finished school includes extensive security features, including facial recognition technology and controlled access, along with thoughtfully designed spaces for children, teachers and families.
That same attention continued through the final walkthroughs. Shah said the Ramos team noticed small details that still needed attention and made sure they were addressed. Ramos leadership also personally walked the facility multiple times throughout the process.
“They were very particular about the details,” Shah said. “The facility came out beautiful.”
For Shah, opening Lightbridge Academy also marked a meaningful career change. After working in mergers and acquisitions, she was ready to do something that felt more personally rewarding. Having watched her own twin boys grow up in childcare and form friendships that lasted through college, she understood the role a great childcare center can play in a family’s life.
Now, she is beginning to see that community take shape in Westchase. The new Lightbridge Academy is already approaching half of its enrollment capacity, a strong start as Shah continues building the Circle of Care she envisioned from the beginning. Shah has already committed to opening a second Lightbridge Academy in Wesley Chapel in 2027, which will also be a Ramos Development, with hopes of continuing to expand the brand throughout Tampa Bay and Florida.
For Ramos Companies, the project was an opportunity to take on a new type of development while delivering the communication, local relationships and attention to detail its clients have come to expect.
Lightbridge Academy
9660 W. Waters Ave.
Tampa, FL 33635
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