Florida Elementary School Sees Near-Total Rebuild

  • By Matt Jones
  • 07/23/24

Matern Professional Engineering recently announced that work is almost complete on the redevelopment of an elementary school in Fort Myers, Fla., according to a news release. Every building except one on the campus of Franklin Park Elementary School was demolished and replaced with modern facilities. The school was originally built in 1958. The remaining building has been renovated into a shared Media & Community Center, the news release reports.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for August 5th, and the new facility is on track to open its doors to students in time for the 2024–25 academic year. It will have the capacity for 579 students in grades K–5, as well as 100 students in a separate Pre-K building.

“We are proud to help provide these much-needed services to Lee County’s students and families. This underutilized school has an entirely new identity,” said Todd Griffith, Matern’s Sr. Vice President and Director of Southwest Florida. “It is our privilege to work within the southwest Florida community and provide innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for education, healthcare and safety.”

The building was designed to incorporate 21st-century learning principles and features amenities like a community center, hurricane shelter, and community-wide services. The school district partnered with RG Architects for the project’s design, according to the news release.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine has been recognized with an EDS 2025 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Singlewire Software Report Reveals Gaps in K–12 School Entrance Security

    Single Software recently released its first-ever School Entrance Security Report based on more than 500 responses from U.S. school staff members. According to a news release, the findings highlight a gap between K–12 leaders’ wishes for school safety and how safe the schools actually are, as well as the challenges facing students and staff in that goal.

  • Fellowes Launches New 3D Modular, Product Configurators

    Contract interiors and architectural solutions provider Fellowes recently announced the launch of new 3D modular and product configurators for several of its product lines, according to a news release. The new products offer SIF file integration and pricing for the Volo, Markerboards, Sena, and Rising product lines in connection with 3D Cloud, which provides 3D product visualization and 3D digital asset management.

  • Inglewood Unified School District Breaks Ground on New High School

    The Inglewood Unified School District in Inglewood, Calif., recently broke ground on a new campus for Inglewood High School, according to a news release. The project has a budget of about $240 million, funding coming through bond proceeds from Measure I.

Digital Edition