SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Provide direction regarding North Ward Elementary School. (WSO)
Body
SUMMARY:
The historic North Ward Elementary School was one of the first public schools constructed in the newly formed Pinellas County, with the original structure built in 1915 and expanded with a second structure in 1926. Initially, North Ward was a segregated facility but became integrated in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The school was closed in 2009. Despite its closure, North Ward remains a place of significance within the community, holding a deep historical and cultural value for generations of students.
In 2019, the City of Clearwater acquired the North Ward School from the Pinellas County School Board for $1.8 million. The City commissioned Wannamaker Jenson Architects to produce a conceptual review and rendering of a mixed-use rehabilitation and activation plan. This plan included the preservation of the two main historic structures and a unifying modern addition that would restore occupancy status to the 1915 and 1926 buildings.
Subsequently, the City engaged Cardno to further evaluate adaptive reuse opportunities. In February 2021, Planning and Development Department staff recommended a strategy for the preservation and activation of North Ward School, which included: stabilizing the property; pursuing both National Register and local historic designation; and issuing an RFP for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the school in alignment with the redevelopment goals of the Old Bay neighborhood. Following this recommendation, the City Council directed the establishment of a capital improvement project fund at its meeting on February 18, 2021, and staff began work to implement both designations and further redevelopment planning.
The City also engaged Lauren Campbell, LLC to identify viable uses, target developer types, assess subsidy needs, and guide future RFP preparation. Campbell’s report confirmed that a variety of adaptive reuse options were viable, particularly those with a public-facing or innovation component.
On February 15, 2024, the City Council approved an agreement with Rowe Architects, LLC, to conduct a building conditions assessment for the school. The approved work order included five major tasks, all of which were completed by the end of the year:
• Historic building research and identification of potential grants to fund improvements.
• Building documentation, including the creation of a digital 3D model of the building.
• Existing conditions assessment.
• Recommendations for pre-development improvements and use analysis.
• Development of cost estimates for identified improvements.
It was contemplated that staff would present Rowe Architects’ assessment and recommendations to the City Council before proceeding with any of the recommended improvements.
The purpose of this agenda item is to review the findings of the study, specifically the building assessment and repair recommendations, including cost estimates. Staff seeks to affirm the City Council’s vision for the property and understand the Council’s priorities before completing any repairs and moving forward with possible solicitation for development.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Capital Improvement Project C2503 - North Ward Renovations - currently contains $200,000 (of General Fund revenue), but there is no request to utilize this funding at this time.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
This item advances the following priority areas of the City’s Strategic Plan:
• High Performing Government Objective 1.2 by maintaining historic features through systematic efforts.
• Community Well-Being through the preservation of an historic structure of cultural significance to surrounding neighborhoods.
