Florida Polytechnic University is still under construction but expected to be completed by Fall 2014 when it welcomes the first freshmen class. University officials are providing tours of the campus and have opened their admissions center.
Florida Polytechnic was conceived in controversy as it broke off from the USF system and it became its own university. But its buildings are finally sprouting from the earth. Its admission center is open to the public and students can now sign up for tours of campus, even while it's still under construction.Program manager of construction Pete Karamitsanis led a tour through the innovation, science, and technology - or IST- building. That's the one still in the works that can be seen from driving on I-4.
Karamitsanis says the architect of the building is Santiago Calatrava.
"He's visionary", Karamitsanis said. "We wanted something that if you and I sat down, we wouldn't come up with this. We wanted something to embody the spirit of the university and the fact that it's not just another university in Florida."
Florida Poly is the 12th university of the state focusing on STEM programs; science, technology, engineering, mathematics.