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Contractor Sees Life For School

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2007

EAST YBOR - Contractor John Simon said the thought of apartments and condominiums at the old Gary Adult School, 3610 E. 10th Ave., didn't appeal to him.

Instead, he plans to turn the 1913-built, brick structure into a sports facility.

Simon - who founded JVS Contracting two years ago after a 28-year career at Kimmins Contracting that included a stint as president - wants a swimming pool, basketball court and two volleyball courts at the complex.

'Right now we're going through all the bureaucratic red tape,' he said.

Once zoning and historical-preservation interests are satisfied, Simon hopes to break ground by next year.

Gary was declared a local historic landmark in 2005, the same year it was declared surplus property by the Hillsborough school board. The four-story building served the once-rural Gary community as an elementary school until 1979. It became an adult school the next year.

In 2005, about 300 students moved to portables while awaiting completion of a new $4.8 million Gary school at 5101 N. 40th St. The old building, built for $20,000, was deemed unsafe.

Simon paid $331,000 for the property near Ybor City this year. He plans to lease the sports facilities to private schools and community groups.

'The school probably should have been torn down. The wood trusses are buckling,' said Simon, adding that the roof leaked for years. 'But we'll see what we can do with the shell.'

Janis D. Froelich

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