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DENISE WATSON BATTSRepairs for termite and mold damage have pushed the private school's use of the renovated building into February.
With its new sod and gleaming windows, the old V.M Ybor Grammar School looks pretty spiffy on the outside.
Inside, lies the problem.
Academy Prep Center of Tampa was expected to expand into the renovated 95-year-old school last week, but mold and termite damage have delayed its opening until Feb. 1, said Lincoln Tamayo, head of the school.
The private school on E Columbus Avenue, which serves 25 fifth-graders, has operated out of two new wings built on the campus of the grammar school. Dance and art classes have been held in the new buildings, but school officials look forward to having an auditorium, library and labs in the renovated school. The school's Christmas program will be held at Greater Bethel Baptist Church, near downtown.
"We've been very lucky to live in a giving community like Tampa," Tamayo said.
Work began on the old school in March and was expected to be done in July.
It had been inspected, "but until you really begin ripping up floors and walls you don't know what you're dealing with," Tamayo said.
They didn't foresee the extensive termite and moisture damage to the floors. And windows expected in October didn't arrive until this month, delaying workers ridding the building of mold.
The school closed in 1971, and parts of it have been exposed to the elements until this year.
The delays haven't increased costs, Tamayo said, and he thanked Mathews Construction for keeping renovations within the $1.2-million budget.
The entire project, including the new wings, cost $4.6-million. Money for the school comes from donations, corporate support and foundations.
Academy Prep offers a focused, disciplined environment for students at risk of being passed over in traditional schools, Tamayo said. It will enroll 30 students each year until it reaches a maximum of 120 students in grades 5 through 8.
It held a grand opening celebration last week, but the school has operated out of the new wings since August.
- Denise Watson Batts can be reached at 226-3401 or dbatts@sptimes.com