Florida Polytechnic University Lakeland

[HARTride 2012]

This thread will be dedicated to news, construction, and projects relating to the new Florida Polytechnic University campus in Lakeland (formerly USF Polytechnic)

http://www.baynews9.com/content/news...lorida_po.html

After months of meetings, plans for the new Florida Polytechnic University are starting to come together.

The Board of Trustees has been meeting via conference calls, but a face-to-face meeting Wednesday helped hammer out some details to help transition from USF Polytechnic to Florida Polytechnic University.

Chairman Robert Gidel says the board has a plan.

"We've set a time on the 24th of September where we're going to come together and really talk constructively about visions, strategic planning, the mission of the University and how we're going to do that," he said. "Because that's all precursor to getting a president hired and getting students in here and faculty and making it real."

The most recent plans show a futuristic feel for the campus.

"It really puts you in a position where you have to now have the programs and the students and the faculty to mimic the building that you're building, because this is going to be an extraordinary structure, something everyone is going to be very proud of," Gidel said.

No official start date has been set, but the University hopes to open to students in time for the fall 2013 semester.

[Lakelander]

I was down there last month and took some pictures at and around the construction site:















Whoever donated this property for the school is about to make a ton of money off the taxpayers. There's a significant amount of roadway infrastructure that has been added all through it by the State to make it accessible to the Polk Parkway and I-4. Once can only imagine what this phosphate wasteland will go for once that school opens.

[HeartofFlorida]

Originally Posted by Lakelander

I was down there last month and took some pictures at and around the construction site:















Whoever donated this property for the school is about to make a ton of money off the taxpayers. There's a significant amount of roadway infrastructure that has been added all through it by the State to make it accessible to the Polk Parkway and I-4. Once can only imagine what this phosphate wasteland will go for once that school opens.

Great pictures! Williams Acquisition Holding Company donated the land and this is only one of the many aspects for the Williams DRI master plan.
Link: Lakeland DRIs (pdf)
The link above features an illustration similar to the one below but arranged differently. However, you get the idea that a plan is truly in the works.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

My major gripe here is location. Universities thrive in an urban, more walkable environment. When they are in one, they add amazing vibrancy to cities, especially those with already urban roots. Lakeland, or another nearby town, could have benefitted greatly had this university been located a little closer in.

[Lakelander]

No doubt. Now the Williams Acquisition Holding Company will.

[HeartofFlorida]

Pictures....

[HeartofFlorida]

Source: The Ledger

LAKELAND | Polytechnic visions of job-focused college degrees danced in the heads of Polk County business professionals, politicians and civic leaders when they began to dream of having a state university here.

But that's not all that was dancing. Mental dollar signs were doing the salsa earlier this year when lawmakers approved creating Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland as the state's 12th public university. more...

More: http://www.theledger.com/article/201...p=all&tc=pgall

[HeartofFlorida]

Source: The Ledger

ORLANDO | Florida Polytechnic University needs about $25 million to finish construction of its first building, and its board voted Tuesday to ask state legislators for that money.

The board of trustees for the school, created by the Legislature last year, gathered for a planning retreat at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Hotel in Orlando to brainstorm about the Lakeland-based university's future.

More: http://www.theledger.com/article/201...p=all&tc=pgall

All I can do is shake my head.... GEESH!

[HARTride 2012]

They need to get their act together.

[HeartofFlorida]

Originally Posted by HARTride 2012

They need to get their act together.

I agree. AND in other news....

Source: Baynews9

LAKELAND -- Officials at Florida Polytechnic are asking for millions of dollars in state funds, but one state legislator is not happy about it.

Set to open in 2014, construction is underway on the first campus building. Don Wilson, who serves on the Board of Trustees, is excited.

More: http://www.baynews9.com/content/news...y_to_ask_.html

[CF221]

Sprawl typology.

[Lakelander]

They should have figured this all out years before now. My guess is that they'll get the extra cash needed but Fasano is right. There will be more requests for money coming in the future.

[spenser1058]

The St Pete Times (yes, I still hate the name change) has been reporting from Tally that FPU's independence is back in question. Any legs to that or should we assume JD is doing a JR Ewing behind the scenes to keep everyone in line?

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-bu...ndence/2111661

[smiley]

IT makes you wonder if Calatrava ever actually visited the site and stood around in the summer as it rained and the sand turned to stinking, swampy mud. people are gonna love walking to that thing in July.

[jzquince69]

I've seen that building U/C off of I-4. I can't believe something like that is being built not only in this state, but in CFLA to boot. I guarantee you there will be a few scenes from future movies being filmed there.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

There is something absurd about Calatrava's first building in the Southeast at an intersection to nowhere in Polk County. I'm not complaining - I enjoy it.

[spenser1058]

Originally Posted by SkyDiveJunkee

There is something absurd about Calatrava's first building in the Southeast at an intersection to nowhere in Polk County. I'm not complaining - I enjoy it.

What I find interesting is that higher education in Florida is still locked into a land-grant paradigm. It's perfectly understandable that USF, FTU, FAU, UNF, etc..., were all built in BFE, conceived as they were in the 50s and 60s.

Here we are, however, in the 21st century in an urban state with densities in some portions rivaling the Northeast and yet our two newest schools, FGCU and FPU were built... in BFE! I guess it makes sense given our state capital is located in a portion of the state where no one lives and is closer to the largest cities in AL MS GA and SC than it is to Miami. *sigh*

[HeartofFlorida]

Originally Posted by jzquince69

I've seen that building U/C off of I-4. I can't believe something like that is being built not only in this state, but in CFLA to boot. I guarantee you there will be a few scenes from future movies being filmed there.

Originally Posted by SkyDiveJunkee

There is something absurd about Calatrava's first building in the Southeast at an intersection to nowhere in Polk County. I'm not complaining - I enjoy it.

LOL! Vanity across the board. I've often wondered if Calatrava wanted to make leave his mark down the road the from world's largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.

[HeartofFlorida]

Originally Posted by spenser1058

What I find interesting is that higher education in Florida is still locked into a land-grant paradigm. It's perfectly understandable that USF, FTU, FAU, UNF, etc..., were all built in BFE, conceived as they were in the 50s and 60s.

Here we are, however, in the 21st century in an urban state with densities in some portions rivaling the Northeast and yet our two newest schools, FGCU and FPU were built... in BFE! I guess it makes sense given our state capital is located in a portion of the state where no one lives and is closer to the largest cities in AL MS GA and SC than it is to Miami. *sigh*

Let's not forget that leaders at both USF and USF Lakeland wanted the campus to be easily accessible and "highly visible" while serving Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties. For those that don't know or may have forgotten, here are the other sites that were under consideration. The current site was a "no-brainer".

Throughout that entire process, I was surprised that the site just outside of downtown Lakeland wasn't given more consideration. If anyone remembers, the city of Lakeland tried to lure FAMU's law school to build in that vacant area off Kathleen Road. As I recall, Lakeland came in 2nd to Orlando and the primary reason was that Lakeland wasn't "urban" enough and the fact that one of the most urban areas in Polk County was contaminated and that may have caused delays. The reason I mention this is because during the planning process for the new campus, I remember reading that they designs for that campus called for "going vertical" in some areas between 7-10 stories. That would have been ideal close to downtown.

[Lakelander]

The consideration of Lakeland and other cities for the FAMU law school was a joke. That FAMU law school was always going to Orlando. I happened to be at FAMU at the time. With that said, I'm not sure why the downtown Lakeland site was never considered by USF and USF Lakeland. IMO, that would have been a perfect site for an urban campus and federal money could have been provided to clean the site up instead of building interchanges and new roads through miles of old phosphate mines on private property.