27-03-2025
Renovation of historic St. Andrews School starts with roof repairs
ST. ANDREWS, Fla. (WMBB) – The first phase in the resurrection of the old St. Andrews School is now official.
BMR Roofing has signed a contract to begin roof repairs on what used to be St. Andrews School.
'It's been a long time since the hurricane that the school's been in disrepair,' said Destination Panama City President & CEO Jennifer Vigil. 'Working with the Historic Preservation Department and going through a grant process any time takes a little bit of time.'
The school first opened its doors to students in 1926.
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After Hurricane Michael, students and faculty moved over to the old Oakland Terrace School and took the name with them.
Since it's now St. Andrews School, the original needed a new name.
The Historic St. Andrews Waterfront Partnership came up with 'Drews Hall'.
It will be transformed into an arts, culture, and events venue.
City leaders say it's the best way to show off the rich history and culture of the area.
'It was the longest operating school for a while in the state of Florida,' said Panama City Ward IV Commissioner Josh Street. 'So for the residents that live here, it's a huge part, but also for people that come to visit. It's a way for us to showcase who we are, what we've been, what we've lived through and what we're continuing to do as a community.'
The resurrection project will benefit residents, visitors, and St. Andrews businesses.
'Having something that's a community hub this close to our Historic District of St Andrews, which is in St. Andrews, is just going to be a big boost for every business that's here and to come,' said Sunjammers Owner Brad Stephens.
Local agencies know that by going through with this project, they will be preserving a big part of St. Andrews' history.
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'One of the things that we have to do is lead with vision, but collaborate with heart. This building itself holds a lot of emotion and a lot of memories for a lot of our locals,' Vigil added. 'It's ingrained into the roots of their families, and it's important to them that we preserve their history while we're telling the story of the culture and character of this community.'
The next phase of the resurrection project will include adding additional architectural designs, then getting the project out to bid.
City staff hope to have the building complete by the fall of next year in time for the center's centennial celebration.
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