Arboriculture Archives - School Construction News https://schoolconstructionnews.com Design - Construction - Operations Mon, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.11 Texas Universities Seek Billions for Construction, Renovation https://schoolconstructionnews.com/2015/01/14/texas-universities-seek-billions-construction-renovation/ AUSTIN, Texas — A number of universities across Texas are seeking funding for multi-million construction and renovation projects in the coming legislative session, adding up to approximately $3 billion in funding requests.

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]]> AUSTIN, Texas — A number of universities across Texas are seeking funding for multi-million construction and renovation projects in the coming legislative session, adding up to approximately $3 billion in funding requests.

In an attempt to keep pace with rising enrollments — and to replace or upgrade aging or inadequate facilities — a number of Texas universities have developed plans for costly large-scale building projects and improvements. University leaders claim that, if funded, these projects will help attract new businesses and create new high-paying jobs, according to The Dallas Morning News.

A number of these funding requests are concentrated around the Dallas area. The University of Texas at Dallas will request $99 million for a new engineering building, plus another $95 million for a new science center, while the University of Texas at Arlington plans to request $190 million for the construction of the Science and Engineering Innovation Research Building, as well as an additional $99 million to establish a new College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions Academic and Research Building. The University of North Texas will seek a combined $152.8 million for construction of an interdisciplinary research building and a variety of renovations to the College of Law, both located on the university’s Fort Worth campus.

The University of North Texas at Denton is also hoping to secure more than $82 million for a new College of Visual Arts and Design facility, and more than $88 million for a new Science and Technology Research Building. Meanwhile the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the University of North Texas at Dallas will seek $109.8 million and $70 million respectively. The former hopes to construct a new vivarium and complete research infrastructure improvements, while the latter hopes to add a new Student Learning and Success Center.

These high profile funding requests are not just limited to the Dallas area, however, and a number of other institutions will also petition for funding. Texas A&M University in College Station is requesting more than $170 million for construction of an advanced bio-containment lab, a new classroom facility and various improvements. Both the Round Rock and San Marcos campuses of Texas State University will also seek funding for new construction projects. All said, Texas universities will request more than $3 billion for nearly 90 projects, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Many of these universities will seek to complete work with the support of tuition revenue bonds, which were last approved by the state legislature in 2006. That year state lawmakers gave the green light to more than 60 university construction and improvement projects totaling more than $1.8 billion. In 2013 a similar effort went unfunded due to disagreements between the Texas House and Senate. Competition for funding will be similarly difficult in the coming session as the number of requests has increased.

“There will be money there, but there are a lot of competing interests — and worthwhile ones,” Senator and Chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) told The Dallas Morning News on Jan. 2.

The state legislature’s 84th session will commence Jan. 13 and the regular session will end June 1.

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]]> Student Movement Brings About Activity Center https://schoolconstructionnews.com/2011/08/29/student-movement-brings-about-activity-center/
AUSTIN, Texas — After almost 60 years of lobbying, students at the University of Texas Austin campus have access to a new Student Activity Center serving as a social and cultural center on campus.

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AUSTIN, Texas — After almost 60 years of lobbying, students at the University of Texas Austin campus have access to a new Student Activity Center serving as a social and cultural center on campus.
The 149,000-square-foot building, located in the heart of the campus, is designed to serve as the “campus living room” for the growing student body and is currently in the application process to earn the first LEED certification on campus.
The facility was designed for easy accessibility, more activity spaces, and overall sustainability based on extensive student input and design workshops, and is located geographically and functionally complementary to the existing student union.
San Antonio-based Overland Partners Architects and associate architect WTW Architects of Pittsburgh designed a contemporary building on the East Mall of the campus, the primary pedestrian point of entry to the campus.
To meet the student goal of dedicated activity spaces, the center includes a 500-seat auditorium, a black box theatre, 12 student meeting rooms, student organization offices, a student government chamber, and a 5,000-square-foot ballroom that is already booked for months, with events such as comedian Zach Braff, a 3-D Gaming tournament, and a concert by Chuck D. and Common.
In addition to group study lounges and individual study areas scattered throughout, the facility also includes an indoor food court with regional fast food favorites and a coffee bar adjacent to about 46,000 square feet of landscaped outdoor gathering space, officials from Overland said.
“I have to say that a mark of any successful building is how it makes one wonder how we managed without it,” said Juan González vice president for student affairs. “It is truly a major enhancement to not only the area but the whole campus environment.”
The facility reflects a modern take on traditional campus architecture, design firm officials said.
“The simple forms and clean lines of the SAC distinguish it, yet the limestone walls and red tile roofs unify it with the existing campus buildings,” a firm statement said.
The center’s location behind a mature oak grove and its many windows throughout the building allow for daylighting and views of the surrounding landscape, along with access to the rooftop courtyard and adjacent green roof.
A cistern collects and recycles rainwater for landscape irrigation.

Artist James Turrell is designing a skyspace installation for the SAC opening in fall 2012, and the enclosed rooftop space will have an opening in the roof surrounded by LED lights that will affect the viewer’s perception of the sky, the firm reports.

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