Historic Villa Madonna School, Youth Center Undergoes Renovations

TAMPA, FL — In about six more months, children attending the Villa Madonna School and the Joe and Anne Garcia Salesian Youth Center in Tampa Heights, will celebrate the completion of a $2.77 million campus renovation and pavilion project, offering them a new place to play sports and participate in special events.

The 10-acre Villa Madonna Campus at 315 W. Columbus Drive serves more than 450 children each year — 320 students in the elementary school (3 years old to eighth grade) and 150 neighborhood children at the youth center.

The Villa Madonna pavilion and campus renovation project consists of a 17,000-square-foot pavilion for sports and special events.

Additionally, the project consists of renovating the entire north end of the campus, which includes a playground, kickball field, track and sports equipment storage (including basketball posts and nets, volleyball posts, and nets, track equipment, soccer nets and kick balls).

The Oliva family is leading this community-driven project.

“What a gift and blessing this is to be able to shape the lives and future of our community’s children all under the loving care of the Salesian Sisters,” said Mark Oliva, committee chairman and Salesian Sisters Partners Circle board member.

The official groundbreaking in June included two children (Joseph Anderson, who attends Villa Madonna and Ansley Roberts, who attend the SYC), Mark Oliva (Mavilo Wholesalers), John Oliva (Oliva Tobacco), Diana Campo Ekonomou (philanthropist), Sister Nivia Arias (Villa alum), Sister Joanne Holloman (provincial superior of the Salesian Sisters), Mike Wichman (Wichman Construction) and Rick Fee (chairman of the SYC board).

Wichman Construction estimates the Villa Madonna Pavilion and Campus Renovation Project to take seven months to complete.

The Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco came to Florida in 1933 to work in Ybor City at Most Holy Names Parish. In 1936, Alicia Gonzalez Neve deeded her home and property to the sisters for educational opportunities. Her home on West Columbus Drive became Villa Madonna School, where the sisters have lived and taught for the past 85 years. Located just minutes from downtown Tampa, the school is for children ages prekindergarten through eighth grade.

In addition to Villa Madonna School, the Salesian Sisters began the Salesian Youth Center in 1995 on Villa Madonna Campus. Since opening, the center has provided more than 9,000 children age 5 to 18, primarily from single-parent homes and 94 percent living in poverty, with an after-school program.

The Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco is the largest congregation of religious women in the world, numbering more than 11,000 in 98 countries. Their mission is to educate youth and take care of the poor.