Flagler Schools: $18M Matanzas High School expansion in Palm Coast planned for early 2025

Danielle Johnson, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·3 min read
Renderings show planned renovations and additions to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast planned over the next few years. The buildings on the left are existing. The building in the center will be constructed to house classrooms, a media center and construction lab.
Renderings show planned renovations and additions to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast planned over the next few years. The buildings on the left are existing. The building in the center will be constructed to house classrooms, a media center and construction lab.

An estimated $18 million worth of renovations and additions may soon be coming to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast.

The project, which was first discussed over the summer, will include classroom additions, a new central energy plant, a new multipurpose building, a new media center and other upgrades.

Representatives from architectural firm SchenkelSchultz provided an update on the project and a timeline for the newly-elected Flagler School Board at a workshop Tuesday afternoon.

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"We're very excited about where we are in the planning stages of this," Dave Freeman, the district's chief of operational services, told the board.

It was the first official workshop for newly-elected board members Christy Chong, Will Furry and Sally Hunt, who were sworn in Tuesday morning. Board members Cheryl Massaro and Colleen Conklin were also sworn in as chair and vice chair of the board, respectively, on Tuesday.

Project includes expansions, renovations, new classrooms

The project at Matanzas High School will include several components, the main one being classroom additions totaling 366 new student stations.

Matanzas is one of two high schools in Flagler County, alongside Flagler-Palm Coast High School.

A new building, which will be attached to the existing Building 5, will house four new classrooms on the first floor, as well as a new construction lab and related classroom, a driveway and outdoor work space for the program.

The second floor of the building will feature a new modern media center, group and independent learning areas, and a digital art lab, architect Patrick Rauch said.

Renderings show planned renovations and additions to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast planned over the next few years. The first floor is planned to house classrooms and a construction lab. The second floor is planned to be a media center.
Renderings show planned renovations and additions to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast planned over the next few years. The first floor is planned to house classrooms and a construction lab. The second floor is planned to be a media center.

The media center is currently in the same building as the school's kitchen and dining area. The move will make more room for an expanded dining area, snack bar and classroom where the media center was.

Buildings 9 and 10 will also undergo renovations to modify the existing construction lab back to classrooms and upgrade other features like staff restrooms.

A new multipurpose building will be constructed near the school's athletic facilities and fieldhouse.

"That will have a very large area for physical education, for classroom instruction. It's also going to have some storage area, some bathrooms, things to help with the overall campus needs," Rauch said, elaborating that it could house wrestling mats, indoor soccer and athletic equipment.

Another big component of the project is a new central energy plant slated at $2.3 million.

Renderings show planned renovations and additions to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast planned over the next few years. The first floor is planned to house classrooms and a construction lab. The second floor is planned to be a media center.
Renderings show planned renovations and additions to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast planned over the next few years. The first floor is planned to house classrooms and a construction lab. The second floor is planned to be a media center.

Construction could start next summer

The project as a whole is budgeted at $18 million with $14.4 million of that estimated for construction. The new classroom additions are expected to cost more than $7.3 million, and the multipurpose building is estimated at over $1.4 million.

The timeline for completion has been pushed back to January 2025, several months later than the original date of June 2024.

Officials said this is in part because of supply chain delays on certain items.

They are on track to begin construction next summer, however. They expect to have construction documents completed by January, at which point they will advertise for bid proposals. The board will then approve a bid by June.

Renderings show planned renovations and additions to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast planned over the next few years. This building will be constructed to house classrooms, a media center and construction lab.
Renderings show planned renovations and additions to Matanzas High School in Palm Coast planned over the next few years. This building will be constructed to house classrooms, a media center and construction lab.

Rauch also showed the board renderings of the new buildings, which would balance the "legacy" red brick architecture at Matanzas while also giving the additions some new charm, such as a compass graphic on the side of the building with the words, "Chart your own course."

Board members expressed some concern over the safety of large-panel glass windows on the second floor where the media center will be.

Rauch told them that bullet resistant glass is "astronomically expensive," but that the windows were more durable than standard home windows. He said they could look into a film or glazing to prevent visibility through the glass, as well as other measures.

Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Flagler Schools eyes early 2025 for $18M Matanzas High School addition