Florida High School Begins $48.5M Renovation Project

Clearwater High School, part the of Pinellas County School System in Clearwater, Fla., has officially begun a $48.5 million modernization project. The school was originally built in the 1950s, and the project will involve demolishing 17 buildings around campus, constructing seven new ones, and renovating five more. The school system is working with the architecture firm Hepner Architects, Inc. and general contracting firm JE Dunn to complete the initiative.

The new construction will house amenities like an administration suite with multi-use collaborative space, a Central Energy Plant, a cafeteria, a media center, science classrooms, general classroom learning suites, ESE classrooms, and a new parking lot to be used for the school’s driver’s ed course. The football stadium will also get a new entrance and new synthetic turf for track and field facilities.

Renovation and remodeling work will include a new exterior and interior paint job; installing new HVAC equipment and flooring; converting classrooms into a new Family and Consumer Science room; and adding new ceilings, lights, flooring, and windows to several buildings. The plan also features a beautification element to the part of campus facing Gulf to Bay Boulevard.

JE Dunn Vice President Jake Nellis expressed enthusiasm that work on the project is finally underway. “We’re excited to be part of this significant renovation that will have a tremendous impact on the community,” he said. “The new façade will in fact be remarkable and will be a landmark in the [Tampa] Bay Area.”

The work is currently scheduled to be finished in fall 2023.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • University of Kansas Breaks Ground on Entrepreneurship Hub

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new KU Entrepreneurship Hub, according to university news. The Hub is part of the university’s School of Business and will include spaces for experiential learning and programming.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.