St. Petersburg welcomed a unique addition to its educational and community landscape with the opening of the Mangrove Bay Middle School and the Speer YMCA. The $48 million project, a collaboration between Pinellas County Schools and the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, marks the first joint campus of its kind in Tampa Bay.
A New Era of Education and Wellness
Mangrove Bay Middle School will serve hundreds of students in grades 6 through 8 when school returns to session on August 12. Located on the 19-acre site of the former Riviera Middle School at 501 62nd Ave NE, the school aims to challenge students with a project-based curriculum focused on critical thinking and academic excellence– which align with the YMCA’s impact areas: Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility.
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State-of-the-Art Facilities
With the help of construction partners Creative Contractors, the joint campus spans 111,757 square feet across two stories, featuring:
- 18 classrooms
- An art room, family science lab, TV lab, and music room
- Three Exceptional Student Education (ESE) rooms
- Shared amenities with the Speer YMCA, including a dining hall, culinary center, gymnasium, sports track, pool, sports field, and teaching garden
The YMCA facilities include:
- A fitness center with modern cardio and strength equipment
- Three group exercise studios, a cycling studio, and a wellness terrace
- A Kid Zone childcare center for Y members, a lap pool, splash pad, and playground
- Access to the Y Before-and-Afterschool Care for students
Community and Media Engagement
An official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place August 8, 2024. Todd Pope, the project leader from Creative Contractors, highlighted his personal connection to the project, recalling his father’s role in teaching construction at the former Riviera Middle School, where he fond memories of visiting his dad when he was a child.
A Vision Realized
In a recent interview in Community Rec with David Jezek, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, he noted that the project allows the YMCA to fulfill its mission of being accessible to everyone in the community, particularly in an underserved area.
To many involved, the Mangrove Bay Middle School and Speer YMCA partnership exemplifies how educational and community can join forces to create environments that support both academic and personal growth. As the school year progresses, the impact of this unique joint campus will undoubtedly be felt by students and the broader St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay community.
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