Add as a preferred source on Google

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

  • Average Annual Number of Tornadoes per State

    New Tornado Wind Load Design Criteria in IBC Offer Improvements to Life Safety

    For the first time in U.S. building code history, the 2024 International Building Code (IBC) includes tornado wind load design criteria, marking a significant advancement in life-safety provisions.

  • Different Starting Points, Same End Goal

    Higher education campuses can enhance student experience by implementing mobile credentials to streamline building access, on-campus payments, and access to other amenities. This enables students to connect to their campuses through the technology they use most: their mobile devices.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Geometrik

    Armstrong World Industries, designer and manufacturer of interior and exterior architectural applications like ceilings, walls, and metal solutions, recently announced its acquisition of Canada-based Geometrik, according to a news release. The British Columbian Geometrik specializes in designing and manufacturing wood acoustical and wall systems.

  • South Texas K–12 District Debuts Region’s First Electric Bus Fleet

    The Valley View Independent School District in Pharr, Texas, recently announced a partnership with Highland Electric Fleets to launch the district’s—and the region’s—first fleet of all-electric school buses, according to a news release.

Digital Edition