New Building May Offer Fresh Beginning at Marjory Stoneman Douglas

by Sharon Aron Baron November 14, 2019

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Architectural rendering of the new building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

By: Sharon Aron Baron

The Broward County School Board approved an $18 million building now under construction at Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

In June of 2018, the State set aside $25 million for a replacement building, and the Qualification Selection Evaluation Committee selected Pirtle Construction Company, as the most qualified proposer.

On October 16, 2018, the school board voted to approve Pirtle to build a replacement building at the cost of $18 million.

The 30-classroom, two-story building is now under construction on the south side of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and can be seen from the Sawgrass Expressway.

This new building is essential to the students and faculty of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Until it’s completion, in the fall of 2020, students at the Parkland school are housed in temporary buildings. And the new addition, set to replace Building 12, couldn’t come soon enough. Building 12’s presence on the campus, where the deadly mass shooting took place, is a constant reminder of the mass shooting.

Because it will be used for evidentiary purposes under an order from the State Attorney’s Office, Building 12 cannot be destroyed until Nikolas Cruz trial takes place in January, where he faces the death penalty.

Until then, the building, which once housed 900 students is surrounded by a 12-foot-fence surrounded by a scenic backdrop in the hopes of providing emotional healing for the students and staff at the school.

Thirty-four temporary portable classrooms were installed during the summer of 2018 for interim use while the district and the SMART team (safety, music/art, athletics, renovation, and technology) worked to plan and design the new building.