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Pasco Middle Construction Begins

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By RONNIE BLAIR

rblair@tampatrib.com

Published: March 8, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - Work is getting under way on a 16-classroom addition to Pasco Middle School in Dade City.

The $4.8 million project is being paid for with money from Penny for Pasco, the 1-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in 2004.

The Pasco County School Board gave the go-ahead Tuesday for work to begin on what is Phase 1 of a campus-improvement project at the middle school, which is one of the older schools in the county.

John Petrashek, director of new construction for the district, said those working on the project are "rejuvenating that campus and giving it new life."

The overall project was approved by the board in 2006, but Tuesday's action was needed so the district could issue a purchase order to the contractor, Cutler Associates Inc., to begin the work.

Construction of the classroom building is expected to be completed by Dec. 17, so the building would be ready for students in the second semester of the 2009-10 school year.

An old locker room building that had been transformed into classrooms was torn down a few months ago to make room for the new classroom facility.

Board member Allen Altman, who attended Pasco Middle in the early 1970s, said the building that was demolished was in poor shape even when he was a student.
Assistant Superintendent Ray Gadd said Phase 2 of the Pasco Middle renovation involves work on administrative offices and Phase 3 will be a courtyard and student gathering area.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218.

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