[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 199 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2369-E2370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO THE LATE WILLIAM B. HARVARD, SR.

                                 ______


                         HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 14, 1995

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise today to 
pay tribute to a great architect and an even greater man. On December 
11, the citizens of St. Petersburg, FL, lost William B. Harvard, Sr., a 
warm and devoted family man and an extremely talented architect who 
left his unique mark on the skyline of west central Florida.
  William Harvard left his home building business in 1941 to serve his 
country and fight for freedom during World War II. Upon returning, he 
reopened his offices in St. Petersburg and quickly established himself 
as a valued member of the community, joining several church and service 
organizations.
  In 1959, he became a founding partner of Harvard, Jolly, Clees and 
Toppe Architects. Mr. Harvard and his associates proceeded to design 
many of the major structures in the St. Petersburg area. Colleagues 
stated that he was a remarkable man, always considering Florida's 
environment in his designs.
  His environmentally conscious architecture is embodied in his design 
of the pier in St. Pete, the incredibly unique inverted pyramid, that 
became the focal point for the view down Second Avenue north towards 
Tampa Bay. As in all of his structures, people marveled at the 
uniqueness of the design of the pier.
  Though unique, the design was also quite functional. He was quoted as 
saying that his goal was to ``preserve the open views from pier level 
and have an open, tropical feeling and yet be protected from the 
elements.'' Anyone who has seen the pier knows he was successful in 
this endeavor.

[[Page E2370]]

  He said his buildings should have a certain uniqueness, ``otherwise 
they would just be warehouses.'' His design of the Williams Park 
Bandstand won national awards, including the award of merit from the 
American Institute of Architects, the highest court of American 
architecture.
  The blue and green glass canopy, designed to provide shelter while 
letting the natural light shine through, also received the test of time 
award from the Florida Association of the American Institute of 
Architects.
  Mr. Speaker, William Harvard lost his battle with cancer this week at 
the age of 84. His legacy, however, will be with us for many years to 
come, as the monuments he built will stand as a tribute to a man who 
used his numerous talents to enrich the lives of many.

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