Panama City school left empty for years is getting a second life

The former Panama City Grammar School on East Seventh Street is finally set to transform. After years of sitting empty and deteriorating, the 1914 brick structure in downtown Panama City has found a developer willing to take on its resurrection, WJHG reported. The historic school will now be redeveloped into a brand-new residential project with apartments and townhomes.Old classroom gets a second lifeThe century-old classroom is ready for a transformation. Developer Zachary Seymour will purchase the property and convert it into apartments and townhomes, and city officials have just cleared the financial hurdles to make it happen. The city will waive approximately $375,000 in accumulated code enforcement fines. The city's Community Redevelopment Agency will also provide a $100,000 grant for the development.Discussions about preserving and restoring the century-old brick school building have been going on for years, especially after Hurricane Michael in 2018. The hurricane didn't just damage the building; it broke something fundamental about the structure itself, leaving roofs compromised, windows shattered and doors buckled. For years after the storm, the rundown school sat there.No...