Big Changes With Board of Regents Approval

The Houstonian (Feb. 18) has a run-down on what's on tap at this quarter's meeting of the Texas State University System Board of Regents:

• Fred Pirkle Engineering Technology Center

Originally part of the campus master plan approved by the board in February 2013, the Fred Pirkle Engineering Technology Center will be funded in part by money provided by the late Pirkle, with the total budget for the project estimated at $22 million — $12,000 of which will be funded by TSUS bonds.

The site of the project is located at the northeast corner of Bowers Blvd. and Sam Houston Avenue adjacent to the current Chemistry and Forensics Sciences building where presently a parking lot resides. The center is planned to be roughly 53,000 square-feet including instructional labs for agricultural science and engineering technology. Additionally, the facility will host an interdisciplinary multipurpose room, administrative offices, common lobbies and an exhibit honoring Pirkle’s life and life’s work.

According to the board book, the project is justified by a growing interest in the field, increased enrollment and currently inadequate facilities.

• South Residential Dining Facility

The South Residential District, also part of the master plan approved two years ago, is composed of housing, food service and parking lots. However, each component of the district is to be proposed as its own entity. The dining facility is budgeted at $14,125,849 and will be funded through TSUS bonds equaling $5 million and auxiliary funds totaling $10 million.

The facility will include fresh food, bakery items, dry breakfast foods and beverage stations and to accommodate 600 patrons with interior and exterior seating.

University spokeswomen Julia May and marketing coordinator for dining services Jimmy Williams did not wish to comment on whether or not the facility would include a sports bar to serve alcohol.

The project will be located at the northwest corner of Avenue J and 21st Street adjacent to South Paw to allow for a shared service entrance. To accommodate the new facility, Art Building G will be demolished.