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Harris Village
Harris Village - Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) As part of its Golden Anniversary Campaign to raise funds for the construction of several facilities campus wide, Florida Institute of Technology, one of the nation’s Top 14 technical institutions in engineering, engaged the services of UHS to develop its new housing community, Harris Village, named in honor of Florida Tech’s longstanding relationship with the Harris Corporation. Two of the three five-story buildings are named after retired chief executive officers from Harris, John T. Hartley and Phillip W. Farmer. Designed for comfort and privacy, Harris Village gives 382 upperclassmen the chance to live where they learn through apartment-style units, where each student gets his or her own bedroom and a bathroom is shared by a maximum of two students. Each unit has a kitchen and spacious living room area. Carefully planned around FIT’s vision of New Urbanism, Harris Village features the latest innovations and technologies in collegiate living, some normally seen only in commercial buildings. Project Goals and Visions The new vision of Melbourne-based Florida Institute of Technology (FIT), the only independent, technological university in the Southeast, is to transform itself by creating multiple facilities that are very accessible to the community. Standing at the southern end of campus, the five-story Harris Village housing complex is the heart of FIT’s concept of New Urbanism. Florida Tech’s President, Anthony J. Catanese, whose background is in urban planning, wanted essentially “a living, breathing, village” that’s very accessible to the whole community. Unique Features & Innovations Harris Village consists of many high-tech features, including Wi-Fi, controlled access, elevators and panic buttons in each room. Extra devices have been installed to support cell phone coverage. Another innovative element is that the buildings use a hot-water system that is gas-fired, allowing hot water to come out almost instantaneously. Located in the Coastal Wind Zone, Harris Village has been designed to be self-sustaining in the event of a hurricane, such that resident relocations would not be required in the event of a significant weather event. The Planning Process The design of the site was carefully planned to ensure that any environmental impact to the wetlands bordering one side of FIT was minimized and that the athletic fields on the other side were not impacted. The site master plan positioned the buildings to blend into the nature preserve and used the parking lot/support space as a buffer from the athletic fields. The parking lot also was designed to protect large mature trees, which were important amenities to the site. Environmental Considerations & Sustainability Measures The biggest contribution the design of Harris Village makes is that the buildings were positioned to minimize land usage. Therefore, more green, open spaces are available for students to gather and socialize, including a Frisbee area, basketball court and outdoor and study/lunch areas. There’s also walkways and bicycle paths, providing easy access to key areas on campus, thereby encouraging walking and eliminating the need to drive. The brick building itself also was designed with the environment in mind. The walls and roof have extra insulation to help conserve energy. Also, the air conditioner is supported by a cooling system that is energy-efficient. Special Challenges & Solutions The existing site was undeveloped and adjacent to FIT’s athletic fields and environmentally sensitive wetland that FIT wanted to ensure was protected during construction. The master plan positioned the buildings along the edge of the site, adjacent to wetlands, protecting the area from runoff and also keeping in place several large mature trees along the border between the wetlands and the buildings. In addition, many mature oak trees scattered on the site were incorporated into the parking plan and community space. Cost Effectiveness By contracting over 90% of the total project cost to local contractors and vendors, the project was able to secure advantageous pricing for the majority of the work. In addition, the compact site allowed for a reduced site preparation package and the preservation of most of the significant natural property features. Safety & Security Considerations FIT wanted to provide security and protection for the residents, consistent with the current security levels on campus but at the same time provide ease of access between the development and campus and with the buildings and units. As part of the open corridor breezeway design, natural light provides a holistic comfort level and augments stairwell and hallway lighting at appropriate intervals. The unit doors are accessed via swipe cards with locksets for the bedroom doors. The entrances into the building are also accessed via swipe cards. Access to the parking lot and entrance to the development is open to campus, as some of the development amenities would be open to and used by the campus community. How Education Programming Needs Were Achieved Harris Village gives upperclassmen the opportunity to continue their living-learning experience by having the convenience of living where they learn and being able to stay connected with fellow students, faculty and administration. The innovative design gives Florida Tech a true living-learning community that incorporates all of the principles of New Urbanism through a living, breathing village that’s very accessible. The design accomplishes this by encouraging walking through pedestrian paths, land savings through thoughtful site planning, thereby minimizing sprawl. Through easy access to other campus facilities, the need for a car is alleviated and walking is encouraged, resulting in a student body that is able to partake in a more sustainable lifestyle. This is indeed a major transformation for a higher-education institution that started out as a small technical college in 1958 to train professionals working in the space program (now the Kennedy Space Center) 50 miles away.
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