Adam RollinsThe University of Texas (UT) System will invest $175 million in projects across three university campuses. Plans include renovating a hall at UT Austin, building a sports training facility at UT San Antonio and converting a building at UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The Board of Regents amended the FY 2024-2029 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) during their Feb. 22 meeting to include the projects. No contractor has been selected for any of the projects.
UT Austin will spend $80 million to renovate Bellmont Hall at UT Austin. Bellmont Hall is connected to the Darrel K. Royal (DKR) Texas Memorial Stadium. The 50-year-old building has outdated mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and needs greater capacity to accommodate students’ needs. The university will renovate the Kinesiology and Health Education (KHE) classrooms and laboratory space on Levels 1, 2 and 9 as well as the football suites on Level 8.
The project calls for adding two structures on top of the South End Zone concourse. UT Austin will use the eastern structure to accommodate working media members during gamedays. The western structure will provide dedicated facilities for visiting teams’ athletics directors, four radio team booths and seating for working media members.
The university will build a structure on Level 10 of the North End Zone and relocate gameday operations there. The North End Zone facility will house public announcement, disc jockey, scoreboard, light show control and supplemental gameday operations activities. Plans also call for moving and incorporating national television broadcast teams and camera equipment to Level 8 on the east side of DKR Stadium. Construction on Bellmont Hall will begin June 3, 2024.
UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston will use $60 million to repair and rehabilitate a 45,100-square-foot building to provide the space and amenities needed for medical services. The Cancer Center will use the building for diagnostic imaging, breast imaging, diagnostic lab and cancer prevention services.
Plans call for replacing the building’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing, life safety, information technology and security infrastructure systems. The renovations will also ensure the building meets general administration and operation space needs. Construction will begin Oct. 4, 2024.
UT San Antonio will build a $35 million volleyball and basketball training facility next to the Roadrunner Athletic Center of Excellence (RACE). The current athletic facilities are aging and do not meet student needs. The two-story, 52,285-square-foot facility will provide practice facility amenities, including a practice court, team locker rooms, showers, a film review room, a team lounge area and office spaces for coaching staff.
The sports programs will share strength and conditioning, hydrotherapy, equipment and laundry facilities. In addition, the building will feature a 14,200-square-foot shell space on the second floor that the university will eventually convert into office space. Moving the sports programs into the facility will free up 58,400 square feet in the Intercollegiate Athletics Building. UT San Antonio will repurpose the space for students and support the growth needs of research and academic spaces. Construction on the training facility will begin Jan. 13, 2025.
Strategic Partnerships, Inc. can provide information on contract opportunities, plus existing and future government funding. For more information, contact research@spartnerships.com.
Photo courtesy of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
