FAMU's New College of Law

New Facility Scheduled for Completion in October

By Debra Wood

Three years after admitting its first students in temporary quarters, the Florida A&M University College of Law in Orlando will move into a new classroom and library facility.

"We need a building constructed for our purposes," said Interim Dean James M. Douglas. "It's going to allow us to produce some good lawyers for Florida."

Florida A&M University offered law degrees from its main Tallahassee campus from 1954 until 1968, when the state eliminated the program. Closure of the law school began in 1966 as part of a plan to establish a new racially integrated law school at Florida State University. The Board of Control, which became the Board of Regents, prohibited admission of white students to Florida A&M College of Law. Without white students, the law school could not be financially viable.

A team of consultants from out-of-state universities recommended the state shut down the small Florida A&M University College of Law and the legislature establish a law school at Florida State University. In 1965, legislators transferred funds from Florida A&M to Florida State. It also transferred the library and books but did not move Florida A&M's professors to the new school.

The 2000 Florida Legislature re-established the Florida A&M University College of Law. Upon signing the bill, Gov. Jeb Bush said, "I'm here with joy in my heart to right a wrong that happened a long time ago. We're also embracing diversity in the right way."

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Lawmakers wanted the new law school to locate along the Interstate 4 corridor, and after active bidding, Orlando received the nod, and the school moved into temporary space provided by Orange County and admitted its first class in 2002.

"We worked hard as a community to partner with the Florida A&M College of Law to bring this important new school to downtown Orlando," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who worked on this project in his previous capacity as a state senator. "Having this school in our downtown core is exactly the type development project that will help make Orlando a place where people can live, work, play and learn."

Turner Construction Co., in a joint venture with PSA Constructors, both of Orlando, expects to finish the $22 million, 160,000-sq.-ft. law-school building in October. The school is located on 3.77 acres of former parking lot in the Parramore Heritage Neighborhood, on Orlando's west side. Dyer has committed to revitalizing the historic African-American community.

Florida A&M University's anticipated 750 students, as well as housing and office developments, are expected to bring new life to Parramore. A public space adjoining the new structure will create a new civic center between the campus, a new $82 million federal courthouse addition and existing state buildings.

Under its construction management services contract, Turner/PSA is building tiered classrooms, a library, offices and a moot courtroom, with millwork and other high-end finishes.

"The most intriguing thing about this whole building is that we started it with a very tight budget, and today we are building this facility for less than $139 per sq. ft., including improvements," said Teska Dillard, project manager for Turner. "It took a lot of work and elbow grease."

Turner/PSA suggested several cost-saving measures, including changing to a more energy-efficient mechanical system, limiting high-end finishes to the atrium and moot courtroom, and shortening the height of the 18- to 20-ft. floors to 16.5 ft.

"We squeezed the building and reduced the level of exterior finishes we had to put on the building," Dillard added.

The law school taps into Orlando Utilities Commission's downtown chiller, eliminating the need for an onsite chiller plant, which shaved more than $1 million off the cost of the building and will save on maintenance. Turner/PSA contracted for the steel and concrete early in 2004, before prices shot up.

Construction began in March 2004, and the concrete and steel-frame structure topped out in November of that year. Dillard said Turner/PSA expects to complete the job in October, slightly behind schedule, largely because of the three hurricanes that whipped through central Florida last year. Florida A & M University extended the schedule to make up for the lost storm days.

The building sits on a 3-ft.-thick, slab-on-grade spread-footing foundation, with concrete columns and concrete pan slabs on the upper levels of the three-story classroom section and four-story library and office portion. A 60-ft.-tall, structural steel-framed atrium, with interior balconies and a grand staircase, links the two wings.

The steel allowed for larger spans to accommodate the column-free atrium, moot courtroom and 200-seat classroom.

"We did what I call the bookends first, the structural concrete first," Dillard said. "Then we came into the center section and put in the structural steel."

Bar joists and metal deck frame the roof. The skin consists of a combination of jumbo brick, stucco and metal panels installed over waterproofed concrete masonry unit backup walls. A glass curtain wall graces the atrium, with the balance of the building's glazing punch windows.

Rhodes + Brito Architects of Orlando, in a joint venture with Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock/Architects of Maitland, designed the structure.

"The design of the building with its soaring open atrium space and fully outfitted courtrooms for mock trials provides for unique and interesting spaces, and it allows the trade contractors to showcase their craftsmanship," said Tom Lail, project executive with Turner.

The building takes up nearly three-quarters of its site and is bordered on all four sides by heavily traveled streets, which Lail said left little room for onsite storage and no space for the construction job office or trade contractor parking.

"Deliveries had to be scheduled so that materials arrived on the site as needed and hoisted into place or staged on the floors of the building after the structure was completed," Lail added.

Turner/PSA placed a strong emphasis on safety and fall protection and had only one minor, lost-time incident. A full-time safety coordinator provided onsite orientation to everyone entering the property. The team also held cookouts to remind workers about following safe habits, such as wearing harnesses, and issued safety awards to subcontractors with good records.

Useful sources:

Florida A&M University College of Law
http://www.famu.edu/law/

Project Team Box:
Owner: Florida A&M University College of Law
Construction manager: Turner Construction Co., in a joint venture with PSA Constructors, Orlando
Architect: Rhodes + Brito Architects, Orlando, in joint venture with Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock/Architects, Maitland
Concrete: United Forming, Orlando
Steel: HMB Steel, Southampton, Pa., and Florida Atlantic Ironworks, Mount Plymouth, Fla.
CMU block and face brick: Cocoa Masonry of Pinellas, Clearwater, Fla.
Mechanical & HVAC systems: Harper Mechanical Corp., Sanford, Fla.