As every Floridian knows, June through November – otherwise known as Atlantic Hurricane Season – can be a time of anxiety, no matter how prepared we are. But Prima Luce buyers can feel safe and secure knowing that – because of its location – this new Florida waterfront condo community will be built in accordance with the most up-to-date government requirements, some of which are the strictest building codes and safety standards in the world.
In 2002, a decade after the damage caused by Category 5 Hurricane Andrew, the State of Florida incorporated High-Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ) into the Florida building code, along with far stronger and more stringent building standards. Since then, as part of those standards, the Florida HVHZ building code requires a new building’s entire envelope, including doors and windows, to undergo rigorous lab-testing to ensure wind-resistant design long before construction even begins.
The Prima Luce project has already undergone extensive wind tunnel testing based on wind speeds of 160 mph (as derived by FEMA and determined by the area in which it will be constructed). All of the Prima Luce structures have been designed to support those test conditions, including the windows and doors, which are required to be resistant to small missile impacts from flying debris carried by high-speed winds.
In 2005, Prima Luce developer Robert MacFarlane transformed the Caloosahatchee shoreline of Downtown Fort Myers with the completion of three new residential high-rises – Beau Rivage, St. Tropez and Riviera – all built in accordance with the new Florida code. Since then, all of MacFarlane’s developments have weathered the many storms and hurricanes that passed through Downtown Fort Myers, all without damage – or losing electricity.
But safety is so much more than storms. Keep reading to learn more about the strict design and building standards that Prima Luce on the Waterfront will meet or exceed.
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