OCALA, FL — Skanska has signed a $62 million contract with Marion County Public Schools to build a replacement for Lake Weir Middle School in Ocala, Florida. Located on a 30-acre greenfield site, the three-story, 156,000-square-foot campus will accommodate over 1,400 students, providing vital classroom capacity and modern facilities designed to foster academic achievement, extracurricular engagement, and community pride.

“As Marion County continues to experience population growth, this state-of-the-art middle school will provide critical capacity for more students and create a modern learning environment that meets today’s needs while preparing for tomorrow’s generations,” said Daniel Abou-Jaoude, Vice President at Skanska. “Our team brings decades of experience delivering educational facilities across Florida, and we look forward to continuing to support the district’s evolving infrastructure needs.”

Designed by architecture firm PBK, the new school features 43 modern classrooms, a gymnasium, cafeteria, and an auditorium for assemblies and performances, offering the capacity to accommodate the district’s growing student population. A new outdoor track and field, as well as playing fields for baseball, softball, and soccer, will also be constructed. Skanska is currently leading $400 million worth of work on various educational projects throughout Florida in Osceola, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee, Marion, and Lee counties.