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School board vote puts Largo High on track for a new campus

 
Published Oct. 23, 2013

LARGO — Plans for a new Largo High are starting to take shape.

The Pinellas County School Board on Tuesday approved a $3.6 million contract with an architectural firm, Harvard Jolly Inc., to create designs and provide administrative services during construction.

District officials also are expected to hear presentations later this month from three construction firms vying to lead the project. Once a firm is selected, plans for the new campus will move forward more quickly, said Michael Bessette, the district's head of operations. Construction is expected to start this summer.

"It has been a very long time coming, and I'm thrilled that we're getting ready to do this," board chairwoman Carol Cook said.

The project is expected to cost about $50 million and take several years. It will be built on the same site as the current campus at 410 Missouri Ave. Students likely will move into portable classrooms and the old Largo Central Elementary during the construction. The closed elementary is adjacent to Largo's campus and already is used by the high school for some classes.

One of the buildings on the current campus also could be saved for students during construction, Bessette said.

Largo High's brick campus was built in 1957, and a replacement has been on the district's capital projects list for years. Bessette said tentative plans are to keep the school's football field, but possibly change the baseball and softball fields.

Cara Fitzpatrick can be reached at cfitzpatrick@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8846. Follow her on Twitter @Fitz_ly.