Construction begins on 3rd student dorm at Florida Polytechnic in Lakeland
Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland is beginning construction this week on its third student residential building.
The school says the building is needed to accommodate the growth of its student population.
Florida Poly’s existing housing is fully occupied, the school said in a news release, and student enrollment is expected to continue climbing.
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Florida Poly, the newest member of Florida’s State University System, opened in 2014 with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). It has a current enrollment of about 1,600.
“This much-needed residence hall represents such an important milestone for our university and is the result of a substantial effort by so many,” Florida Poly President Randy K. Avent said in the release. “This new facility will have a big impact on our students and their success on campus while supporting the growth we’re experiencing and anticipating over the next several years.”
Details on new dorm
Residence Hall III will be built adjacent to the two existing dormitories on the northeast part of campus. It is scheduled for completion in time for the start of the fall 2024 semester.
The five-story building will contain 137,000 square feet and will hold 430 beds in one-, two- and four-bedroom suites, Florida Poly said. The design “is focused on sustainability, flexibility and campus community featuring multiple lounges, study spaces, a large multipurpose room, offices and an interior courtyard with plants and water-conserving landscaping.”
An artist’s rendering shows a flat-roofed building with a white exterior, offset by horizontal rows of windows.
Financial facts
The project has a projected cost of $42 million. It is financed with a tax-exempt public bond issued by the state on behalf of the State University System, according to the news release.
It will be the first dorm owned by Florida Poly. The existing two are owned by Vestcor Cos.
Who’s building it?
The University is partnering with Capstone Development Partners on a public-private partnership.
Capstone’s design-build team for the project includes Design Collective, an architectural firm with decades of experience designing facilities for college and university campuses, the release said. Capstone Management Partners will provide operations and maintenance services for the residence hall.
“Design Collective is excited to bring our shared student housing experience and expertise to Florida Poly’s unique campus,” said Tom Zeigenfuss, AIA, NCARB, principal at Design Collective. “This third phase of housing will help the University continue its growth by providing an upper-division focused, on-campus, residential community option that has a vibrant mix of uses and an architectural aesthetic that builds upon the best of the campus’ character.”
Clancy & Theys, a North Carolina-based construction company with offices in Florida, will build the new residence hall.
What they said
“More and more students across Florida and the country are recognizing the great value of Florida Poly for its academic excellence, selectivity, and affordability,” said Ben Matthew Corpus, Florida Poly’s vice provost for enrollment management. “We’re looking forward to having this new residential facility ready for our students to enjoy, as it will be critical to keep up with our enrollment needs and the increased demand for our university.”
First-time-in-college applications increased 118% from applications in fall 2018 and 37% between fall 2021 and fall 2022, the school reported.
“We are delighted to be Florida Poly’s partner on this project, allowing us the opportunity to help a growing University expand its campus housing offerings to attract and retain top students,” Walker May, Project Executive and Executive Vice President of Capstone Development Partners, said in the release. “Upon completion, this new residential community will create an active, village-like precinct on campus, enhancing the student experience and helping Florida Poly continue its ascension as one of the leading public universities in the country fully dedicated to STEM.”
Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Florida Polytechnic begins building 3rd campus dorm. What we know
