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Boundaries For New FishHawk Schools Set For Review

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 31, 2008

LITHIA - Parents can review and comment on proposed attendance boundaries for new elementary and middle schools in the FishHawk area at a meeting Jan. 14.

The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Randall Middle School's multipurpose room, 16510 FishHawk Blvd.

According to Steve Ayers, pupil services director for Hillsborough County schools, parents can see proposed boundary lines for Stowers Elementary and Barrington Middle schools, which are being built on the south side of FishHawk Boulevard in what's to be called the Circa FishHawk community.

The 1,229-acre community is approved for 3,200 homes. The two schools, occupying a 26-acre campus, will be ready for occupancy in August.

The developer of Circa FishHawk, Newland Communities, which also developed the abutting FishHawk Ranch community, is being more circumspect with its construction schedule until the economy turns around.

Commercial construction is expected to begin in early 2009, with fertilizer giant Mosaic Co.'s proposed 100,000-square-foot office building on 7.4 acres in the development's village center business district, which fronts the south side of FishHawk Boulevard east of Bell Shoals Road. About 400 employees are expected to occupy the building, scheduled to be completed in 2010.

Newland is moving more cautiously with its residential development, according to Rick Harcrow, senior vice president of operations for the Tampa division. He said the developer is watching the market, focusing on building multifamily units to fill the continued demand from retirees and empty-nesters.

Newland will begin its Circa FishHawk construction with Starling, a 407-acre, 735-home community on the north side of FishHawk Boulevard that will include town homes, villas, cottage homes and conventional single-family homes.

The school district doesn't anticipate difficulty filling the new schools.

Some students will come from the yet-to-be-constructed neighborhoods of Circa FishHawk, Ayers said, and more than 200 students will be transferred from Boyette Springs Elementary to Stowers Elementary.

The school also will pull students from a portion of the Bevis Elementary attendance area that's currently undeveloped, as well as four students living on the north side of FishHawk Boulevard in the Lithia Springs Elementary attendance area.

Barrington Middle will pull about 200 students each from Randall, Rogers and Eisenhower middle schools, Ayers said.

"We don't expect the boundary changes to be controversial, but there are always some people who don't like change," he said.

Principals have not been assigned to the new schools, which will share utilities, parking and recreation areas.

Following the community meeting, Ayers will present a report to the school board, which will hold a public meeting before making a final decision on the boundaries.

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524 or dlwhite@tampatrib.com.

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