STP moves forward with acquisition of former CHS campus

The Spanish Trail Playhouse (STP) and the Washington County School District (WCSD) have entered the early stages of completing the sale and transfer of the former Chipley High School campus on 2nd Street to STP.

WCSD Superintendent Thomas Register said the district began evaluating ways to reduce expenses several months ago in order to focus funding on facilities that currently serve students. The old high school, which was built in the 1930’s and operated as an instructional campus until 2000, has continued to deteriorate with the district continuing to pay for utilities such as lights, and Register noted the district does not foresee a future need for student use at the site.

Register said one of the key factors in considering STP as the buyer is owner Kevin Russell’s commitment to restoring the historic school rather than demolishing it. He emphasized that transferring the property to STP would allow the building to receive long‑needed improvements without relying on taxpayer dollars.

“The board and myself found it important that we sell it to someone who isn’t going to go in and destroy it. Kevin has put a lot of money into it, and he is willing to work with the city and the technical college,” Register said. “I think it is a win‑win for the community and the district.”

Russell emphasized his commitment to preserving the historic character of the former school.

 “My biggest thing to tell the community is I know people are very sentimental about that building, most of my family graduated from there,” he said. “The goal is to bring it back to its original state, but also have it available as a community space.”

STP first entered a 20‑year lease agreement with the school district in 2007 and has used the campus since then, investing nearly $400,000 so far in improvements. Those upgrades have included restoration of the auditorium and main lobby, new seating, renovated restrooms in the main hall, updated lighting, and landscaping.

Russell said he is also working with local historian Dale Cox and Heather Lopez, Executive Director of the Washington County Tourist Development Council, to apply for historic registry status for the gym, cafeteria, and main school building.

He noted that the long‑term vision is to restore the campus to its original appearance while expanding its use as a community hub. STP plans to continue using the front main hall and auditorium, with additional redevelopment planned for other wings of the building. In the north hall, Russell hopes to create a historic‑themed Airbnb that would allow alumni to stay in the school they once attended. The south hall is being considered for an arts‑and‑culture‑focused small‑business incubator.

The back building will remain available to Florida Panhandle Technical College for sewing and quilting classes, while the front portion of that structure may be converted into rentable office or community space. The cafeteria, currently used for storage and in significant disrepair, is envisioned as a commercial kitchen suitable for multipurpose rentals such as reunions, birthday parties, and other community events.

Russell also said he has an agreement with the City of Chipley to continue allowing the gym to be used for city league basketball, with plans to improve the space for additional uses. The gym needs updated flooring and window repairs, and Russell said he hopes to install storm‑rated windows so the facility can double as a storm shelter or warming station, a need highlighted after Hurricane Michael in 2018.

“This would open it up to where the schools are not our only shelter,” said Russell.

Beyond sports and emergency use, Russell said he envisions the gym hosting classes and seminars in areas such as science, STEM, and the arts, while still supporting athletics. He also expressed interest in alumni basketball games and setting up indoor pickleball for use during the hotter summer months.

Russell also shared that he plans to establish a “Legacy Fund,” a dedicated fundraising effort for individuals, graduating classes, and local businesses to contribute toward ongoing upkeep and renovations. He emphasized that all contributions would be used solely for preserving the integrity of the historic school and would not support STP programming or operations.

He is also in the process of collecting old yearbooks to make available for public viewing. Russell said he hopes to create a small reading area, complete with a coffee station, where visitors can browse the yearbook collection and reminisce about the school’s history.

Russell said he has already begun forming partnerships to support the renovation process, including working with local architectural design firm M.Corb and coordinating with Florida Power & Light on an energy study. He is also partnering with Waste Management to assist with clearing out the buildings, noting that the gym will be the first major project tackled.

“Our goal for the renovations is to put it on a 10‑year plan. It won’t happen overnight because the building did not get in this condition overnight,” Russell said.

Although the sale has been completed, Russell said he is continuing to work closely with the school district as they remove stored items and relocate the district office and data center. He expects the full transition to be finalized this summer.