Howard Bishop Middle School Redesign & Redevelopment

Originally built in 1962, Howard Bishop Middle School has undergone a complete design overhaul and transformation. The Redesign and Redevelopment of this approximately eight (8) acre campus, included the demolition of 11 Classroom Buildings, including the outdated Technology Labs and Computer Skills Labs, the kitchen and Cafetorium Building, and all of the restroom facilities for a total of 20 buildings on campus. Demolition and abandonment of the existing utilities was completed to make way for a safer and more technologically advanced experience for the faculty and students.

Howard Bishop’s extensive redesign included the construction of a highly efficient T- shaped, 2-story classroom wing providing 42 new classrooms, including two (2) new Science classrooms/labs, two (2) new Technology/Business Labs, a new Art room, and a new and much larger Cafetorium with new band and choral facilities included in its adjacencies.  This project also involved extensive renovations to buildings not selected for demolition, remodeling seven (7) existing classrooms, the Administration Building, and the Media Center.

The center of campus is now a spacious event space and gathering place for students with a modern design focused on safety and function.  The entire campus has been refreshed with new walkways and green space, paying special attention to maintaining as many of the existing trees as possible.

The updated site plan includes new student carpool/drop-off lanes, as well as new parking areas. Improved and expanded stormwater retention areas will improve flooding issues that plagued the campus.

Existing athletic fields and the track are being considered for redesigned and/or updating through the Wild Spaces Public Places Program with the City of Gainesville.