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Neighbors & Friends

Preserving Historic Trees in

COLEE HAMMOCK

Conscientious owners

and builders are now

including certified

arborists on their

development teams

olee Hammock is one of the most desirable together an award-winning team that included VCM
neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale, having originally Builders, Randall Stofft Architects, Witkin Hults Design and
Cgotten its name from an actual hammock—a closed- Metric Engineering, a local certified arboricultural firm.
canopy ecosystem of tropical hardwood trees. It was named
in the city’s early days for James Louis Colee, a civil Alan Macken of Macken
engineer who purchased land in the area in 1891. In a nod Companies took principal
to the hammock, the emblem of Colee Hammock features a lead role in designing the
live oak tree. A Broward County ordinance, in effect since residence with the design
2000, preserves and enhances this natural environment, by team and ensured the
protecting indigenous trees from being removed and helps to development program was
maintain a healthy and sustainable landscape. well conceived. From
inception, the owner and
Recently, the owner of combined lots site in Colee
Hammock was inspired to build upon the overgrown site project team members
worked closely with the
that included nearly 120 non-indigineous trees.The owner
envisioned a Balinese-style home, one that combined the landscape architect, Witkin
Hults Design and the project
aesthetics and feel of a sanctuary and resort. The goal was
simple: to feel as if the trees and home were one; to build botanist at Metric
Engineering to identify and
a home that seamlessly melded with nature.
preserve the plant material
Responsible development must include a well-conceived Alan Macken worth of preservation.
construction program and special attention must be paid to
During the series of site inspections, it became apparent
preservation of any structures or living plant material
during all phases of construction. Tree preservation that the property contained some of the area’s most
graceful and mature foliage. Special attention was made
requires careful planning, constant attention and guidance.
Long before architectural plans are completed, a to preserve the live oaks and gumbo limbos, many of
which have existed on site for nearly 50 years.
comprehensive tree preservation program must be
established, and the principals of that design must be With the owner’s vision, they began the challenging
thoroughly adhered to. process of carefully clearing the site, removing
nonindigenous trees, protecting the existing specimens,
In preparation for this endeavor, the property owner, in
cooperation with developer Macken Companies, brought and creating an environment where the home was

38 LAS OLAS BOULEVARD & ISLES