Saturday, November 14, 2026
Workers are busy disassembling the old trailers that were once classrooms and administrative offices.
This empty space was recently occupied by classrooms.
Demolition is underway.
The first trailer is ready to be towed away.
An aerial shot with the old campus in the foreground and the new campus in the background. The new Manta Ray Field will replace the old campus. Note the new shared use path that parallels San Marco Road.
Rendering of the new Manta Ray Field.
Rendering of the Fitness Center at Manta Ray Field.
Rendering of Manta Ray Field lockers.
The trailers that once comprised the campus of Marco Island Academy are being disassembled one-by-one, making way for Phase three of MIA’s brand-new campus. The old campus is set to be cleared by July 13 so work can begin on Manta Ray Field - a full soccer field with bleachers, fitness facility, locker rooms, concession area and parking.
“We’re just kind of getting started,” said Mark Melvin, Marco Island Academy National Advisory Board Member, and the board’s project manager for the new high school project. “The first trailer is coming apart and we have 12 more to take apart. Clear them off the site.”
The fate of all the trailers that were once classrooms and administrative offices is not completely certain. "They’re all getting relocated,” Melvin said. "Some of them get destroyed off-site at a recycling center, some people are interested in the others. We’ll see what they want to do with them. We’re not exactly sure yet.”
As in any repetitive construction job, the first step is a learning one.
“The first one you always run into a few things,” Melvin said. "But then it gets easier. A professional company assembled them and outfitted them 10 years ago. Even the company who put them in are asking us questions. ‘Did we crane these in?’”
"You have to strip the skirt off the bottom, pump up the tires again. Hopefully, the tires are good. We have to take the walkway out and disconnect it from the building in certain cases. This side came right out, but we have to do that on the other side. Some of this lumber is getting recycled by some of the guys. They’re going to use it down near Everglades City, out that way. You have to unbolt them at the top, unbolt them at the bottom. Then they kind of fall open and you pull them out. The air conditioners all get drained, and the refrigerant will get recycled. They’ve been hard at it."
Like many involved in the transition process, Melvin has mixed emotions as he sees the old school being disassembled.
“It’s bittersweet,” Melvin said, “we did a lot of great things with these trailers. A lot of kids went through these trailers and learned. It was a great experience. The new building will be even better. I’m looking forward to it."
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