BOOKER HIGH SCHOOL REBUILD ENTERS FINAL PHASE
Sarasota, FL – Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc. began the final phase of construction and renovation at Booker High School this month, which includes demolition of old buildings to make way for the addition of new baseball and softball fields. The added athletic field space will now feature new tennis courts, shot put, discuss and long jump facilities. Total project completion is projected for December of this year. Earlier this year, students & staff moved in to the renovated Booker High School main campus, which includes over 300,000SF of renovated spaces and new buildings.
Construction on Booker High School began in 2010 with the relocation of Orange Avenue to help unify the campus. The primary objective in the Booker High School rebuild was to provide students a new 21st century learning environment that supported effective instruction. Appropriate room size, traffic flow, campus security and safety, lighting and design, and organization of classrooms, labs and offices were integral in creating this environment. Joshua Leinweber, Assistant Principal for BHS, comments: “The renovation has provided new and relevant educational experiences, enhanced security for staff and students and has pulled together the community and increased opportunity for our local residents.” More than 24 percent of the labor on the project was provided by workers who lived within the school’s zip code, generating more than $1.7 million in wages for the local community. As a whole, 70 percent of the labor on the project was performed by workers from Sarasota, Manatee, Desoto or Charlotte counties.
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Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc. is a Sarasota based Construction Management firm primarily serving Southwest Florida since 1972. As one of the oldest construction firms in Sarasota and Manatee counties, the company enjoys a reputation in southwest Florida for quality construction. They offer clients a solid background in commercial, industrial, educational, healthcare, museum specialty work and sustainable construction. The firm has completed over 60 diverse projects locally for both public and higher education facilities.
www.willissmith.com
