The City of Clearwater is asking residents to weigh in on the future of the historic North Ward School building, which has sat vacant for more than a decade.
The city will host an open house on Thursday, July 30, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., where the public can share ideas for redeveloping the site.
North Ward School was among the first public schools in Pinellas County. The original building was built in 1915, later expanded, and closed in 2009. The buildings have stood empty since then.
The Clearwater Historical Society is collecting memorabilia from the school ahead of the event. Jeanne Holmquist, a former North Ward student who now serves as the Historical Society’s secretary, attended fifth grade at the school with her siblings. She remembers the building’s old wooden floors, creaky steps, and radiators unlike anything she’d seen before. While preparing for the open house, she came across a photo she believes shows her uncle as a 12-year-old student at the school.
Christopher Edwards, Clearwater’s Economic Development and Housing Director, called the property a rare opportunity for the city. He said officials are considering a mixed-use development that would include residential and commercial space while preserving key parts of the historic campus. The goal, he said, is to keep the site’s existing historic assets while creating something new.
Holmquist said she hopes any future use retains some of the school’s historic character while giving it a fresh purpose — suggesting the old cafeteria could become a restaurant or cafe, paired with a hotel or art studios to draw visitors.
The city plans to use feedback from the open house to shape a request for proposals from developers. Once developers submit proposals, city staff will review them before making a recommendation to the Clearwater City Council.
Follow the St. Pete-Clearwater Sun on Facebook, Google, & X
St. Pete-Clearwater Sun: local St. Pete-Clearwater & Tampa Bay, FL news at PIE-Sun.com
Leave a Reply