Construction Updates

Thursday's Houstonian [November 1, 2007] notes the impending completion of the expanded Mall area, on the former Frels-Wilson buildings.

Also, the SHSU Physical Plant page has been updated (though you wouldn't get that from the top of the page where it still says "April 2007") to include current (or mildly recent) photographs of construction:

• Academic Building V ("Substantial Completion Date: September 2008")
• Mall area ("Substantial Completion Date: October 2007")
• Design of the forthcoming Performing Arts Center ("Substantial Completion Date: December 2009")
• Plans for the new Agriculture Complex at Gibbs ranch
• North dining facility ("Substantial Completion Date: December 2008")

Finally, one can view a few pictures of the Colony Apartments in an early stage of demolition. Also, the contents of the Telephone Services building (that unsightly holdover from the Frels-Wilson demolition) appear to be on the move to Academic Building One...? (I thought it was AB5?)

2007 State of the University Address

Campus construction was one of many topics discussed during SHSU President Jim Gaertner’s annual State of the University address Wednesday afternoon, reports Today@Sam:

Current areas of the university’s physical growth include the $2.25 million mall area extension, scheduled to be complete by October; new surface parking where the Colony Apartments are located will add 350 new spaces by November; the $30 million classroom and office building, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Building (formerly AB5), is expected to be completed by this time next year.

Future construction projects that have been planned, some of which are awaiting approval by the Texas State University System Board of Regents, include a $7.25 million dining facility across from the Student Health Center, with construction expected to begin in May 2008; $35 million performing arts building for dance, music and theatre, with a 15-18 month construction anticipated to begin in the summer of 2008.

In addition, the university has sold the 13.2 acres where the university’s agricultural operations are currently located, across the highway from Raven’s Nest Golf Course, for new hotels and a conference center. By January 2009, Huntsville should have completed a new Fairfield Inn and a Garden Inn, both by Marriott, and a 7,000 square foot conference center with three new restaurants to be constructed on site. The agricultural facilities will be consolidated at Gibbs Ranch with a $2.5 million allotment to do so.

Finally, plans are being made for the finalization of the 2009-2018 Master Plan, “our blueprint for what should be done on this campus” that is anticipated to be completed by May 2008.