Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School

Located on a 46-acre site in western Lake Worth, Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School is the first new high school campus built in Palm Beach County in two decades.

Client

The School District of Palm Beach County

Construction Delivery

CMAR

PGAL Scope

Full Architectural Services, Interior Design, Master Planning, Programming

Completion Date

2023

Designed to accommodate 2,703 students, the facility supports rapid regional growth while providing a secure and modern learning environment.

The 281,000-square-foot campus includes two primary buildings organized around a secure courtyard for students and faculty. The three-story academic building houses administration, a media center, general classrooms, and lab spaces. Adjacent to it, the single-story performing arts center features an 855-seat auditorium and program spaces for music, dance, and visual arts. The southern end of the arts building includes a dining facility with a food court and covered outdoor seating.

Named after Dr. Joaquin Garcia, a respected LGBTQIA+ community leader, businessman, and education advocate, the school is the first in Palm Beach County to be named for a Hispanic individual and one of the few public schools in the U.S. named for someone who represented the LGBTQ+ community.

PGAL delivered the project in collaboration with SchenkelShultz Architecture.

An onsite athletic complex enhances the school’s programming and includes a 4,000-seat football stadium with “Carolina blue” artificial turf, a press box, and a fieldhouse with concessions.

The athletics campus also includes lighted baseball and softball fields, tennis and basketball courts, two practice fields, and the only sand volleyball court located at a high school in Palm Beach County. A separate community entrance allows guests to access athletic venues and the auditorium without passing through the main school facility.