By Marc R. Masferrer, University Communications and Marketing
The USF Sarasota-Manatee campus sits along Sarasota Bay, about 10 miles north of where Hurricane Milton made landfall at Siesta Key, and across U.S. 41 from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, where wind gusts of more than 100 mph damaged the terminal’s roof, closing the airport to commercial service for almost a week.
Remarkably, the damage was much less severe on the Sarasota-Manatee campus, including the new six-story Campus Student Center and Atala Residence Hall.
Two days after Hurricane Milton hit the area, workers with a contractor hired by the university began collecting fallen tree limbs and other debris the storm left on the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. Buildings on the campus did not suffer significant damage.
“There was more damage to the grounds than anything else,” said Dan LaForge, the Sarasota-Manatee campus’s director of facilities planning and management.
The storm littered the campus courtyard with leaves and branches from the many trees on campus, and yanked a handful of red clay tiles off the new building, as well as the 18-year-old academic building. There was also “minor water intrusion” from rainfall into the new Campus Student Center, the first floor of which sits at 23 feet above sea level – out of reach of the worst-case storm surge that had been forecast.
LaForge said workers with a contractor hired by the university began collecting debris and trimming and removing damaged trees on Saturday, focusing first on areas frequented by students so they would be clear by the time as students returned to campus this week. By Monday, the only visible signs that had a storm had hit were piles of broken tree limbs and pieces of shattered roof tiles on the parking lot.
The cleanup was expected to be mostly completed by Friday, LaForge said.
LaForge said the new building, which is constructed of large precast concrete panels and includes windows designed to withstand 150 mph winds, performed as designed. When Milton knocked out electricity to the campus, generators automatically kicked on and powered “critical” systems like fire alarms and emergency lighting, he said.
LaForge applauded the work of his team in preparing the campus for the expected resumption of normal operations on Monday.
“The reason we were able to reopen so quickly is a credit to how quickly and professionally our facilities team responded,” he said.
For more information about USF's response to Hurricane Milton, including how to financially help students suffering after the storm, click here.