Rendering courtesy of Manatee County School Board
PARRISH, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2024) – The Manatee County School Board has closed on the 30-acre parcel to build the future North River Ranch Middle School serving North River Ranch and the surrounding area. The new North River Ranch middle school will be located within the community on North River Ranch Trail, off Fort Hamer Road.
The School Board announced construction of the new middle school is scheduled to begin this month and is projected to be completed in July 2025, for the 2025/2026 school year. North River Ranch is the award-winning, master-planned community of local land developer Neal Land & Neighborhoods.
The new prototype middle school is designed to be a state-of-the-art learning environment providing classrooms, labs, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, and a music department. Outdoor features include playfields, basketball courts, a covered play area and open spaces.
“As the community grows, so should the educational opportunities in the region that provide great quality facilities and walk-to-school access to families in the area,” said John A. Neal, president of Neal Land & Neighborhoods. “This new campus will enhance the educational hub being developed in North River Ranch, and we’re very pleased that for the 2025/2026 school year, our families will have access to this new middle school just steps away from their North River Ranch neighborhoods.”
Neal Land & Neighborhoods contributed $450,000 to provide the school with additional funding to hopefully enhance the school’s programs, curriculum, special ad hoc awareness and education opportunities.
“We want to support the school board’s mission to provide excellent school programming and services, and our hope is that with the potential inclusion of environmental science classes, students will learn about the natural and native aspects of their community,” adds Neal.
With the elementary school, high school and future State College of Florida campus located within walking distance of the new home community, North River Ranch will provide convenient proximity to schools from kindergarten to high school and up.
In addition to an educational hub, North River Ranch is undergoing the development of the wellness-focused Village Center offering access to medical services, fitness, and natural spaces that reflect the active and healthy lifestyle of the community. HCA Florida plans to break ground on the new North River Ranch Emergency Center later this year.
To learn more about North River Ranch, visit www.northriverranch.com.
For more information on Neal Land & Neighborhoods, including the company’s latest development news, visit www.NealLand.com.
About Neal Land & Neighborhoods
Neal Land & Neighborhoods is a Manatee and Sarasota, Florida-based community and master land planning and development organization led by John A. Neal. The company incorporates smart master planning and public infrastructure solutions to create the next level of elite community planning in Southwest Florida. By working with carefully selected new home builders, Neal Land & Neighborhoods aims to establish thriving, sustainable, livable, and ecologically sensitive communities throughout Manatee, Sarasota, and Hillsborough counties. Neal Land & Neighborhoods currently owns or controls several thousand acres of land entitled for more than 9,000 future residential homes and the supporting mixed-use commercial and retail. For additional information, visit www.nealland.com.
About North River Ranch
North River Ranch is the flagship master-planned community for Neal Land & Neighborhoods, strategically positioned and carefully planned to evolve to meet the needs of tomorrow’s families and active adults. Located in Parrish, Fla., the amenity-rich development is a fresh approach to development in Southwest Florida unlike anything in the market today. North River Ranch is an award-winning community with approvals for 6,000 residences across several neighborhoods featuring abundant recreation and amenities, judicious land planning and management, commercial development, a hospital, and nearby schools. Current home builders consist of Pulte Homes, David Weekley Homes, Neal Communities, Homes by WestBay, Park Square Homes, and Cardel Homes Florida. North River Ranch was recognized with Bradenton’s Best Gold Award for Best Master Planned Community and New Home Community in 2023. For more information, visit www.NorthRiverRanch.com.