YMCA Partnership Middle School
St. Petersburg, FL
Overview
Community Health and Wellness Campus
The Mangrove Bay Middle School & Speer YMCA is a community-driven project that combines a middle school with a YMCA program. The project’s thoughtful design fosters collaboration between the school and a nonprofit public entity. With a focus on promoting healthy bodies and minds for all, the 111,757 sf complex provides shared spaces and amenities for both students and the broader community.
Traditionally, schools and YMCAs have been developed as distinct entities, each functioning independently rather than as part of an integrated framework. As land becomes increasingly valuable, this approach challenges us to better utilize resources and adopt smarter building strategies. This is where the YMCA and Middle School Partnership found its purpose: uniting two organizations with aligned missions to create a health and wellness campus that enhances community impact while strategically maximizing the use of a single site.
This project was completed as a joint venture between WJ Architects and Harvard Jolly Architecture.
Inspired Design
Security was a key consideration in the design, shaping our approach to create a protected environment during school hours while fostering shared community use after hours. Additionally, the building's footprint was carefully designed to respond to the complexities of the site, where wetlands occupy a significant portion of the site boundary. These factors guided our efforts to create a functional, secure, and sustainable solution.
The program spaces are organized around a central spine: the media center. This communal space serves as both the connector and the primary security checkpoint, functioning as the “main street” from which all program spaces branch. During school hours, the doors connecting the YMCA to the media center remain locked, with supervision provided by media assistant staff to ensure controlled access. After hours, YMCA members have managed access to shared program spaces—including the gymnasium, faculty and consumer science rooms, dining room, and outdoor track and field—through the media center, which operates as the hub and access point for community activities.
Recognition
FEFPA First Place Award for K-8/Middle/Combo School Category (2022)
The Speer YMCA Exhibits an Education and Economic Impact for the Community (Tampa Bay Business and Wealth Magazine)
The Programming and Design Behind Four 'Wow-Factor' YMCAs (Athletic Business Magazine)
