Panama City's 1914 grammar school survived more than a century and Hurricane Michael; its empty classrooms are now set to become homes

The former Panama City Grammar School on East Seventh Street is finally set to transform. After years of sitting empty and deteriorating, the 1914 brick structure in downtown Panama City has found a developer willing to take on its resurrection, WJHG reported. The historic school will now be redeveloped into a brand-new residential project with apartments and townhomes.Old classroom gets a second lifeThe century-old classroom is ready for a transformation. Developer Zachary Seymour will purchase the property and convert it into apartments and townhomes, and city officials have just cleared the financial hurdles to make it happen. The city will waive approximately $375,000 in accumulated code enforcement fines. The city's Community Redevelopment Agency will also provide a $100,000 grant for the development.Discussions about preserving and restoring the century-old brick school building have been going on for years, especially after Hurricane Michael in 2018. The hurricane didn't just damage the building; it broke something fundamental about the structure itself, leaving roofs compromised, windows shattered and doors buckled. For years after the storm, the rundown school sat there.Now the century-old school is finally getting its second life. Under a newly proposed agreement, the city commissioners have cleared a path for the developer to buy the property and start the renovations that have been long overdue.The developer has been given exactly one year to complete the important structural repairs, such as stabilising the roofs, replacing the windows and doors, and addressing the compromised integrity that a 110-year-old building can't ignore. If he misses this deadline, the $375,000 in forgiven fines returns to the property record. It's a stick alongside the carrot. For the preservation efforts, the CRA will grant $100,000. The CRA funds are expected to be formally approved by the commissioners during their next scheduled board meeting.The local leaders are stressing the importance of saving the historic structures. Preserving and restoring the historic structure is the top priority, especially after so much of the local heritage was lost in 2018.“We have very few historic facilities left in our community, especially after Hurricane Michael. Any chance that we have to save one, let’s take advantage of it. Let’s push in every way that we can. And this is one of those efforts that’s been the city. It’s been private people coming in that care to really take the lead in charge to see this come to reality,” District 4 Commissioner Josh Street told the broadcaster.The city's investment reflects its priority. After the storm, cities often have to decide which damaged historic buildings are worth saving. Panama City chose to save this one. The Grammar School's resurrection won't be quick or simple. The structural repairs alone will test the timeline. But for a building that was already vanishing into Panama City's background, the agreement is something close to a second chance.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.