There’s a building boom taking place on the Davie campus shared by Broward College and Florida Atlantic University, with construction of two major projects well underway. 

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in January for an elevated joint-use parking garage and a $30 million environmental sciences facility that will be shared by FAU and the University of Florida. 

Balfour Beatty Construction is overseeing construction of the five-story, 1,000-car parking garage, which is slated for completion by the end of the summer. 

Project architect Mario Cartaya has a personal, as well as a professional, interest in the new parking garage. He has taught at both BC and FAU for more than a decade, and also served on the college’s board of trustees.

“I designed [the garage] as a gateway building allowing 1,000 more potential students, including those seeking that second chance to pursue and realize their dreams,” said Cartaya, of Cartaya and Associates Architects, P.A.

Students have long complained about the dearth of parking spaces on the Davie campus, which has forced many to park in open field areas. Others who aren’t willing to make the inconvenient trek to class risk getting ticketed for improper parking in the existing lots.

The garage construction site has left students competing for even fewer spots, but officials say the temporary inconvenience will be worth it.

In addition to providing much-needed parking spaces, “one of the great things about this project is that it also provides jobs and is stimulating the economy,” said Broward College President J. David Armstrong, Jr.

The focus of the new shared facility will be to study Everglades restoration and environmental science.

“This is a place where vitally important knowledge about the Everglades and the entirety of South Florida’s very sensitive and complex ecosystem will be discovered, analyzed, understood and passed along to future generations,” said FAU President Frank T. Brogan. “FAU is very proud to partner with the University of Florida in this far-reaching research and educational initiative, which holds tremendous promise for our state.”

The FAU biology department and UF institute are already conducting research on the restoration of the Everglades, including a study on invasive species that are threatening native plants and animals.

The first floor of the new 75,000-square-foot facility is designed for classroom use and will include a 100-seat tiered classroom. The second floor will house research labs for UF scientists. The third and fourth floors will combine FAU science labs with office space for FAU’s College of Arts and Letters and other departments.

The joint-use facility, which is being built by Pirtle Construction, was designed by architect Schenkel Shultz to meet U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification. FAU’s commitment to promoting environmental quality and resource conservation is reflected in the planning and development emphasis on sustainable design, “green” architecture and recycling.

During construction, the contractor will divert at least 50 percent of the site waste from landfills. At least 50 percent of all wood-based materials in the facility will come from certified forests, and 25 percent of the construction material cost will consist of recycled material. Low-emitting materials will be used to reduce the amount of odorous, irritating or harmful indoor air contaminants.

The facility will utilize low-flow water fixtures and indigenous landscaping that will require little or no irrigation, and will reduce its water consumption by a minimum of 20 percent.

Showers for researchers, changing rooms and bike racks will reduce pollution and land development impact from automobile use, and  5 percent of the parking will be dedicated to low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles.

Other “green” goals include a minimum 14 percent reduction in the energy consumption. Natural lighting will be utilized in 75 percent of the building’s occupied spaces.

“The FAU community is so proud of everything this building stands for,” said Dr. Joyanne Stephens, vice president of FAU’s Broward campuses. “Everything from our partnership with UF, to environmental sustainability, to the learning that will take place in its classrooms and the exciting scientific advances that will happen in its labs.” 

The $30 million facility was funded entirely by Public Education Capital Outlay (PECO) allocations from the state legislature. It is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2010.