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School Board Budgets Millions For East Hillsborough Projects

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 10, 2007

Updated: 10/10/2007 09:21 am

PLANT CITY - The Hillsborough County School Board has budgeted $316 million over the next five years for construction projects, and according to the plan officials presented to city commissioners Monday, a portion of that money will be spent in the Plant City area.

Two new schools will open in the Plant City area by 2010, Cathy Valdes, chief facilities officer for the school board, told commissioners at a workshop Monday.

A new high school will be built on 100 acres between McIntosh and Gallagher roads west of the city and is expected to open in 2009, Valdes said. An elementary school will open in 2010 on a site adjacent to the new high school, Valdes said.

The construction of a new middle school near the proposed 3,500-home Lake Hutto development, southeast of Brandon, will open in 2009 to help relieve crowding in eastern Hillsborough schools, Valdes said.

Commissioners were concerned that a new middle school closer to Plant City would not be built sooner. According to the five-year plan, a site for a $9 million middle school is being sought in District 6, which covers Plant City and eastern Hillsborough. The 126,000-square-foot school could open by 2012, according to the plan.

Valdes said renovation projects during the upcoming year to existing facilities in Plant City will help with crowding. A portion of the $316 million budget goes toward 24 countywide remodeling projects, Valdes said.

Renovations to Knights, Springhead, Cork, Walden Lake and Pinecrest elementary schools are expected to be completed by August, officials said. A new wing to Durant High School opened this year to accommodate the school's 2,700 students, Valdes said.

There is a plan to build classroom additions to Plant City High School, Valdes said. There are about 2,900 students enrolled in Plant City High School, according to the school board. The school's capacity is 2,500.

Commissioners seemed pleased with the presentation by school board officials.

"Any time you come here with a five-year plan and you're spending money in our area, it makes everybody happy," Mayor Rick Lott said.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 865-4433 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

The Hillsborough County School Board's five-year work plan is viewable online at http://facilities.mysdhc.org<, the district facilities home page. Click "5 Year Work Plan" under the Information List heading on the left side of the page to view the 43-page document.

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