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NEWS
ARTICLES :: EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
Nova Southeastern University Rolling Hills Graduate Residence Halls
Fort Lauderdale/Davie, Florida - Rolling Hills Graduate Residence Halls provides off-campus, graduate-only housing for Nova Southeastern University (NSU). Located in Davie, Fla., a half mile from the university’s main campus, the property was originally a hurricane-damaged and abandoned golf resort hotel that was transformed into a self-contained dormitory and conference center complex offering students a variety of living options and amenities.
Because the old complex was storm damaged and vacant for several years, it had become a local eyesore that the town and the neighbors wanted to be changed. When the university acquired the property, it had to go through an extensive design-approval process in which the neighbors took a keen interest and were able to voice their opinions, according to John Santulli, vice president of facilities management for NSU. The university responded by doing exactly what was agreed upon in those meetings. “The university has a strong policy of being a good neighbor, and we were very pleased with the support of our neighbors,” he said.
The project provides housing for 373 graduate and doctoral students as well as a stately conference center. Buildings A and C, the three- and seven-story residence halls, feature contemporary, yet durable materials to create airy and open floor plans that take advantage of natural daylight and offer spectacular views, while Building B will consist of a conference center for hosting weddings, local events and academic conferences. Each apartment is furnished and features a kitchen, a living room, in-room wireless Internet, cable television, air conditioning, and an in-room telephone with local telephone service. Students also have access to central laundry facilities, elevators and a shuttle bus that provides transportation to campus.
FACTS & FIGURES
The Building of America Network Team Members
Project amenities include fully landscaped grounds; ample parking; six tennis courts; and a beautiful swimming pool with a deck area. Located near the pool is a pool services building, which contains a recreation room, a men’s and women’s bathroom facility, and a lifeguard office. Also located on the property is an open-air pavilion that shelters tables and couches for studying, a large barbecue grill, and bathroom facilities. “The flexible unit design, accompanied with the resort-style amenities, resulted in 100 percent of the units being rented prior to completing construction,” said William J. Gallo, AIA, LEED AP, principal in charge, CEO/chairman of Gallo Herbert Lebolo, the project’s architect.
“Aesthetically, the group of buildings was designed to complement the South Florida environment and to blend with NSU’s existing master plan,” said Gallo. The exterior color scheme of the seven-story building incorporated three levels: base, middle and upper. The base was designed to conform to the previously constructed buildings on NSU’s main campus. The middle section is consistent with colors of the rooftops in the area, while the upper level has less visual weight and a lighter scheme to blend the building into the Florida skyline. The three-story structure was also given a modern facelift, but the team included larger glass openings for this building because it is closer to the ground and faced the adjacent golf course owned by NSU.
Because the site is located in an area that is susceptible to hurricanes, precautions were taken to ensure student safety. For example, the entire complex is fitted with impact-resistant glazing, utilizing both large- and small-missile assemblies. In addition, the team installed a backup generator system that was sized to run the entire complex.
Due to its fast-track schedule, there was not enough time for the project to formally earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification. However, according to Santulli, the university did all it could to make the project as energy efficient as possible — from the window selection to the building insulation and mechanical and electrical systems. “Even if the planning and construction process is not set up around formal LEED certification, an owner can still make responsible choices along the way that can bring the completed project a good deal of the way in that direction,” he said.
Completing a high-quality project in less than 12 months was the biggest challenge, according to Mike Metzger, project manager for JWR Construction Services, Inc., the project’s general contractor. Utilizing an integrated project delivery (IPD) process, which involves a collaborative effort among all project participants, was critical in overcoming this obstacle. The project was not bid competitively but instead brought to a select group of subcontractors who had proven both the quality of their work and their ability to get other university projects completed on schedule. This group formed a highly cohesive team, with each member contributing effort and ideas to make the project a success. “With all the key players involved in concepts and decision making from the beginning of the project, the team was able to make more informed project decisions and improve the team’s ability to control costs and manage the schedule,” said Gallo.
“The entire property has been re-imagined, re-built and re-landscaped so that today it is more attractive and more lush than the resort ever was,” said Santulli. “We think that we have built the most beautiful student residence complex in this country. The buildings have been given a new, contemporary look. The original buildings were not stylistically related, but the renovated ones look as if they were built together.”
“The entire complex now meets the very high university standards, but the setting of the project is what makes it truly unique,” said Metzger. “It is essentially the same resort property that existed before but brought to a 21st-century level.”
— Stacey Nathanson
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| photo by Rosky Images
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