KEYSTONE HEIGHTS – The long-awaited and highly anticipated cafetorium at Keystone Heights Elementary is completed.

“We’re are so excited,” the school’s Principal, Beth Turbeville. “The people of the Keystone community have been anticipating this for many years.”
The Clay County District Schools hired Paul Stresing to design the new building to incorporate the school’s master plan.
“The vision was that it would fit when we add the new cafeteria,” said Mike Kemp, the Director of Facilities and Planning for the district. “Make it look like it was not an add-on, and I think the architect nailed it.”

This $22 million project started last August and consisted of three phases: a new cafeteria, a media center, and six additional classrooms. The new cafeteria is 29,400 square feet, consisting of a new music and art room, a state-of-the-art kitchen, and an outdoor seating area. In addition, the school will be able to host performances through the cafeteria’s stage and dressing rooms. The school’s former cafeteria was renovated into a new media center that has a teacher conference center and a TV production lab. The construction team also renovated the former media center into six new classrooms that will be used for sixth grade, STEM classroom and computer and technology.

Other new features include a new playground and a new covered amphitheater. The project consisted of correcting the stormwater and flooding issues, upgrading the electrical and enforcing better security cameras. Also, a new Gary Cooper Memorial is being constructed at the corner of Peach and Highland streets.
“We feel very blessed to have the facilities that we have and so grateful to Mr. (David) Broskie and our school board for allowing us to have these facilities, and our Keystone Community is grateful as well,” Turbeville said.
Keystone Heights Elementary is excited to have the new cafeteria and other facilities.
“This Project is a perfect example of project sources coming together in the right way to help a community,” Kemp said.
The construction team is wrapping up the media center and making final touches before completion.
The school plans to host a ribbon-cutting event on Dec. 5 as a celebration.