Piacentino said the project is designed with students as the top priority. "Our first obligation is to students," he said. Photo credit: Hunter Crenian
The Miami Hurricane got the chance to tour and document the new housing village construction site March 5. Mike Piacentino, manager of marketing, communications and development for Housing and Residential Life, confirmed that sophomores will get first priority during the application process, but juniors and seniors will also have the opportunity to apply. There will be a range of room options from singles to quads, each with a different price in order to accommodate as many students as possible.
The housing village is expected to open to students in August 2020.
Trucks leaving the construction site are hosed down and quickly cleaned, preventing debris from leaving the site. This process is a requirement of the project's Gold LEED certification, which rewards sustainable construction practices. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianThe entire first floor of the building will be used as a communal area for students to work, eat, shop and study. None of the complex's residential suites will be located on the first floor. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianSenior Project Manager Gary Tarbe signals a bulldozer to pass at the the construction site of new student housing village March 5. Tarbe oversees all aspects of construction on the site and was also the project manager for the development of the Shalala Student Center. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianMost exteriors of the buildings will feature hurricane-proof glass that is glazed to resist heat. Windows were central to the buildings' design, said Mike Piacentino, manager of marketing, communications and development for Housing and Residential Life. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianThe buildings are designed to allow for as much natural light as possible. "Every chance we could get, we put a window," Piacentino said. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianTurbe said the complex will be closed to cars and not feature any public access roads or parking lots. Walkways, however, will be able to support vehicles in case of emergency. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianA crane pulls up several metal beams to the rooftop of one of the housing buildings. Tarbe said he does not have an exact estimate of how many beams his team has used, but he said it's "fair to say we've used a lot of them." Photo credit: Hunter CrenianEach floor, when walked fully around, is approximately half a mile in distance. Room will have a mechanical closet right outside so that maintenance problems can be remedied without interrupting residential life. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianBedroom units in the new housing village are at various levels of completion. The complex is expected to house 452 rooms that can hold 1,100 beds, most of which will be full beds. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianTwo bedroom, two bathroom units are one of the many options available to students. This unit includes a kitchen and living room area, as well as a vanity that's separate from the bathroom. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianA construction worker stands on an elevated man lift 15 feet above ground. Turbe said the site uses a total of 25 man lifts. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianThere are about 400 workers who are part of construction. Most of their typical workdays run from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.; however, some people begin pouring cement at 2 a.m. and others work late into the night. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianOne of the construction workers waves at the camera as he and another worker pass by. Workers are on site a total of six days a week, with Sunday being the only day without construction. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianThe construction site currently uses two tower cranes and two mobile cranes to assist in the development of the 25 new residential buildings. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianA worker stands on a ladder welding metal beams together. Each building will have a bridge that connects it to other buildings in the complex, and each floor will have a terrace. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianThe ground floor will contain a 24-hour study lounge, but Piacentino said it's not yet clear if the space will be open to all students or just residents of the housing village. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianPiacentino said the project is designed with students as the top priority. "Our first obligation is to students," he said. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianOne of the site workers looks down at the camera as The MIami Hurricane staff walks by. Each building will be seven stories high: the ground floor, a mezzanine and five residential floors. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianThe entire complex of the housing village covers half-a-million square feet of space. "Just by using the building, you're getting from one point on campus to another," said Piacentino. Photo credit: Hunter CrenianHousing and Residential Life is still looking for a sponsor to name the whole building. Piacentino said naming rights for a project of this size cost about $40 million. Photo credit: Hunter Crenian