POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The pandemic isn't slowing down a major building project underway at Mulberry High School in Polk County.

Crews have been working for months on to rebuild and upgrade the school.

When the dust settles, there will be a new gym and green house as well as new labs for automotive, health, engineering and robotics programs.  The football field and stadium will be renovated and the music room will be remodeled. There will also be new athletic facilities including tennis courts, a softball field, baseball field, track, soccer and multipurpose field.

Principal Michael Young said the building is about 65 years old so he said it's time for changes.

"The original buildings weren't designed for air conditioning much less for technology and for modern instruction," he said.

Young also said the campus will be safer with a single entrance and video check in points.

"It will be a night and day difference," he said.

The project will cost nearly $50 million and is being paid for using Polk County's half-cent sales tax for education which voters renewed in 2018.

"We didn't know if this would be difficult to get through again but it was passed successfully," said Rob Kincart who is a member of the Half-Cent Sales Tax Oversight Committee. "I think people recognize and appreciate that these projects would not happen if it wasn't for the tax."

Managers say construction crews have followed COVID-19 safety protocols during the building process.

The school is also being renovated so that it can handle several hundred additional students as the community population grows.

"It's long overdue for Mulberry to get new facilities," said Kincart.

The new main building-complete with classrooms, labs, and offices-should be finished in December. The entire project is scheduled for completion in August of 2022.