Florida Construction News staff writer
Skanska has broken ground on a $77 million redevelopment project for Hillsborough County Public Schools to rebuild Stewart Middle Magnet School and create a shared campus with the adjacent Just Elementary School in West Tampa.
The project includes the demolition and reconstruction of Stewart Middle Magnet School, along with the development of a modernized, integrated campus designed to serve both middle and elementary students. When complete, the facility will deliver more than 135,000 square feet of educational space supporting long-term enrolment growth in the area.
Stewart Middle Magnet School will provide capacity for more than 1,000 student stations, while Just Elementary School will serve over 530 students. The two schools will operate on a combined campus designed to improve efficiency, collaboration and shared use of key amenities.
The design, led by FleischmanGarciaMaslowski Architecture, includes shared facilities such as a cafeteria and media center intended to support collaboration and more efficient use of space across the campus.
The existing Stewart Middle Magnet gymnasium will be retained as part of the redevelopment and will receive new lighting, code upgrades and other improvements.
“As Hillsborough County Public Schools continues to invest in modern educational facilities, this project will deliver a thoughtfully designed learning environment that supports both academic success and community needs,” said Daniel Abou-Jaoude, vice-president at Skanska. “Our construction team brings extensive experience delivering K-12 schools across Florida, and we are proud to partner with the school district to build a modernized campus that will serve students for generations to come.”
Officials say the project is part of the district’s broader effort to replace aging school infrastructure while addressing population growth and increasing demand for student space in the region.
Tampa is located in west-central Florida’s Tampa Bay region along the Gulf Coast, not Southwest Florida, which is typically farther south in the state.
Construction will proceed in phases, with the district planning staggered openings for Stewart Middle Magnet and Just Elementary as the redevelopment advances.
