St. John's Episcopal School moves forward with long-awaited redevelopment in South Tampa
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Aug 22, 2023

St. John’s Episcopal School is moving forward with the long-awaited redevelopment of its South Tampa real estate.

The school will file plans with the city for the project on Tuesday. The new campus will include a 90,000-square-foot building and playing field.

There is no set timeline for beginning construction. The school declined to disclose a fundraising goal, saying the financial needs would depend on construction costs, which have not been finalized as prices are in flux.

It has been nearly eight years since St. John’s bought the majority of the 200 block of West Platt Street, which was previously home to Irish pub Four Green Fields. Four Green Fields has since relocated to a warehouse between the Channel district and Ybor City owned by Gas Worx developer Darryl Shaw.

Zudar's Bourbon Street Bar and Grill and Bay Bouquet are not part of the redevelopment plans.

“The expanded campus will provide spacious classrooms to support innovative teaching and learning and dedicated outdoor spaces for play, performing arts, robotics, STEM, video production, technology integration and more,” the school said in a statement.

The project team includes Cooper Johnson Smith Peterson Architects & Town Planners and InVision Advisors as owner’s representatives.

“St. John’s is at an incredibly exciting crossroads — the most important time in the school’s illustrious history,” Hugh Jebson, St. John’s head of school, said in a statement. “To be part of a school community afforded this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform learning for generations of children and help enhance downtown Tampa is an honor and privilege. I could not be more excited about this master plan and all it will achieve.”