NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — One of the oldest high schools in Tampa Bay is getting a big makeover.

Construction is now underway of a new main building at Gulf High School in New Port Richey.

The current building has been there since 1971. But the origins of the school date back much earlier: 1922.

Pasco County Schools had originally hoped to repair the current building, but later decided it needed to be replaced.

“Our school is one of the original high schools for all of Pasco County,” said principal Jeff Morganstein. “People throughout the area have attended here. So we’re looking forward to celebrating that 100th birthday and also looking ahead, building for the future.”

The new school is a $58 million project. In addition to a modern building, plans also call for having designs and features that honor the school’s long history as the Buccaneers.

Many alumni have lots of memories at the old school that will likely be torn down when the new one is built.

Mr. Bill Rutherford is one of them.

For nearly 30 years, he’s been the director of bands at Gulf High School, keeping watch over a long musical history at the school.

“I make sure the kids know when they walk in the band room, how much history came before them,” Rutherford said in an interview.

He has the band room decked out with pictures and awards from the Buccaneer bands of the past. Some even go back nearly 100 years.

Rutherford is a big part of that school history. He graduated from Gulf High in 1988 and returned just a few years later as the school’s band director, which he has been ever since.

“A lot of memories at Gulf High,” Rutherford said.

He even met his wife Kelly while in school. All three of their kids went to Gulf High, including his son Andrew, who is in band now.

All that to say, there are certainly a lot of memories in the old building.

One area Bill says many will miss: the ramp in the middle of the school, a place that he says generations of friends would meet between class.

“It’s probably the part of Gulf High that some alumni are upset about losing,” Rutherford said. “The stories that people tell about the ‘famous ramp.’ You hear that quite often from the alumni. I think of the entire school. This is the probably the most iconic part of the school that the alumni are going to miss.”

Despite the changes coming, Rutherford is excited for a fresh start. 

“We want what’s best for our students. We want what’s best for Gulf High School. Having a new building will give our kids the best of the best, and we think that’s what our students deserve,” Rutherford said.

Construction on the new school is expected to be done over the next school year. The new building is expected to be done in late 2023.