Escambia County schools undergo $22 million summer renovations, more upgrades planned

ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. -- The Escambia County School District has been making renovations to a number of its schools since the end of last school year.

With classes set to start back Thursday, maintenance crews were putting some eleventh hour finishing touches on various projects before the doors open.

The Escambia County School District director of facilities planning says these improvements were needed and there's more to come.

School officials tell WEAR News, renovations during summer break totaled about $22 million.

"We have a considerable amount of federal funding that we're using to replace air conditioning and exterior envelopes -- windows specifically," Director of Facilities Planning Keith Wasdin said.

Wasdin says the money came from emergency relief funds designed for elementary and secondary schools. He says sales tax money is also being used to help fund the renovations.

Wasdin says a priority was replacing air conditioning systems with a central chill water system for all schools.

"They're the mechanical systems that we have in place, they do the exchange of airs, and they keep the campus as cool as possible," Wasdin said. "Yes, you're right, it's been very hot, we have been able to maintain very temperate temperature in here."

Other improvements were needed for many older buildings, like Ferry Pass middle -- which was built more than 50 years ago.

"We had to do the demolition first, which we tore out the walls on this end to replace the partition walls -- the moveable partition walls -- and then came back," Wasdin said. "All the flooring had to come out, all the walls had to be treated, everything had to be painted, so it's a considerable amount of work to be doing in 60 days."

Wasdin says there are also new bathrooms, ceilings and windows at Ferry Pass middle.

He says most of the renovations across the district will be done in time for classes Thursday.

Projects for next school year are already on the drawing board throughout Escambia County.

One project next summer includes creating a single point entry for Ferry Pass Middle School to improve security.