School's renovations squeeze out parking

The addition of 26 portables at Tarpon Springs High will cover 80 to 100 student parking spots.

By MATTIAS KAREN

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 1, 2000

TARPON SPRINGS -- Some Tarpon Springs High School students might have to leave their cars home and find other ways to get to school this fall.

Because of the ongoing $13.8-million renovation to the high school, up to 100 parking spaces will be lost in the coming school year, causing school officials to consider handing out fewer parking permits.

Principal John Nicely said 26 portables have to be put in the student parking lot west of the football stadium, eliminating 80 to 100 spaces.

Now the question is how to deal with the students who no longer will have a place to park their cars.

"We just have to take a look and see," Nicely said. "We haven't really decided yet."

But many options have been tossed around. One would be to let students park on the right of way along Gulf Road next to the school, but that, Nicely said, "is probably not a good option."

Another option is to limit the number of students who receive parking permits, letting students who live close to school walk or car pool. But that may not work either, Nicely said.

"What's going to happen is, students are going to park in the neighborhood, which is going to cause other problems," he said.

Tarpon Springs City Commission members also discussed the situation at a work session last week. They said there should be a way to solve the problem without having students park on streets off-campus.

"Those who live within walking distance and that have a car ought to walk," Mayor Frank DiDonato said.

Commission member Beverly Billiris said the school should make more students join car pools, so that there are "four, five (students) in a car, instead of five cars."

"Every child there apparently has their own car," Billiris said.

But such a solution would be troublesome for students such as Adam Gris, a Tarpon Spring High student who lives in Palm Harbor.

"I greatly depend on being able to drive to school, because my parents both work and I have to drive my younger brother to school," said Gris, who will be a senior this fall.

Whatever the solution will be, it will have to be one that works for the long term, because the renovations are expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete. The $13.8-million project will add nearly 15,000 square feet of indoor space, including a new dining room and a small second gymnasium. It also will give the school a new air conditioning system and fix classrooms and the existing gymnasium.

The school has about 1,600 students. After the renovation, it will be able to accommodate around 1,800 students.

"Once it's all done, it's going to be a beautiful project," Nicely said.

- Mattias Karen can be reached at (727) 445-4243 or at northpin@sptimes.com

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