Ajay Shanker
Rinker school of Construction University of Florida, USA
Title: Evaluation of a Longboat Key Resort, the Colony, For Wind-Borne Debris Hazard in Hurricanes
Biography
Biography: Ajay Shanker
Abstract
Longboat Key is a town in Manatee and Sarasota counties along the central west coast of the state of Florida, USA, located on the barrier island of the same name. Longboat Key is south of Anna Maria 611 Island, between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Town of Longboat Key was incorporated in 1955 and has land area of 11 square kilometers and a population of 7000. The Colony, a beach-front luxury tourist resort, located at 1620, Gulf Coast Drive, Longboat Key, is an 18-acre resort containing 234 condominium units, many tennis courts, restaurant and other amenities. The current land value of resort is estimated at $36 million. This resort was built in 1970s and operated profitably with high tourist occupancy for about fifty years. However, because of poor maintenance and salt laden environment, rotting of wood siding, rusting of structural steel and concrete rebars continued for many years. Eventually all building became structurally deficient and dangerous for occupancy. The town commission then closed down the resort and asked everybody to leave. Between 2010 and 2014 degradation of buildings accelerated and building components e.g., door, windows, balconies, started falling down and the town commission started worrying about the colony becoming a source of wind borne debris in case of a hurricane. The town commission then approached Rinker School of Construction Management to conduct a detailed study for the potential of Wind Borne debris hazard.