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Summer Heats Up with New Construction Projects, Continued Work on Several Others

  • The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved the construction of a new engineering building, which will sit where the Clark Center is currently located.

Construction on campus will heat up this summer with work on a new engineering building and two apartment-style student housing complexes that were recently approved by The University of Texas System Board of Regents.

The 200,000-square-foot Engineering Building will be built on the site of the Alexander Clark Center, which will be torn down starting next month. Along with the recently opened Bioengineering and Sciences Building, the facility will help the University accommodate the rapid growth in its engineering programs and increase its externally funded research capabilities. Construction on the engineering building is scheduled to begin this fall, with completion expected by the start of fall 2018.

The building, which will primarily house the Mechanical Engineering Department, will contain research and teaching labs, faculty offices, student workspaces and a 300-seat auditorium that will be named in honor of Dr. Alexander Clark, a former vice president of academic affairs and one-time acting president of the University. 

It also will include a retail food grab-and-go facility, a third-floor student lounge with a balcony and a landscaped courtyard with seating to provide additional study and collaboration space.    

Meanwhile, construction of the 30,000-square-foot Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center began last week, with completion expected in spring 2017. The alumni center, the first facility solely designated for special use on campus, will feature a ballroom that can accommodate up to 800 people, meeting rooms, office space for staff, and an outdoor area with an expansive patio.

“We are working diligently to expand our infrastructure to keep up with the phenomenal growth our campus is experiencing,” said Dr. Calvin Jamison, vice president of administration. “As interest in UT Dallas continues to increase, we must continue to plan and prepare for the future needs of our campus community. We appreciate everyone’s patience through the ceaseless construction process. The perpetual excitement that is so much a part of the UT Dallas story continues to transform this campus and culture."

Expansions

Progress continues on the Callier Center for Communication Disorders on-campus facility expansion and Parking Structure 4, both of which are scheduled to be completed for the beginning of the fall semester.  

Also, the Student Services Building Addition is projected for completion in late fall 2016, and the Brain Performance Institute building in Dallas is scheduled to be finished in 2017.

Roadway improvements include a new exit from Lot U that will be added over the summer, creating access to the southbound lanes of University Parkway.  

Housing

Co-developers Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions LLC and Wynne/Jackson Inc. are continuing work on Northside, the mixed-use development expected to open this fall near campus. More than 85 percent of Northside’s housing space is leased, and applications are being accepted online and at a temporary leasing office adjacent to the construction site.

On the southwest side of campus, crews will begin work on Student Housing Phases VI and VII this month. The two apartment-style complexes are expected to provide a total of 800 new beds on campus for fall 2017.

Phase VI will be 206,000 square feet and include a mix of efficiency, one-, and two-bedroom apartments, as well as an open multipurpose space, a common laundry facility, office space for support staff, an outdoor recreation facility and a surface parking lot for 150 vehicles. It will be directly south of Loop Road Southwest and the new Phase VII.

Phase VII will be 127,000 square feet and feature one-, two- and four-bedroom configurations with internal corridors, an open multipurpose space, offices for support staff, laundry facilities, secure bike storage, bike racks and outdoor recreation areas. It will be on the north side of Loop Road Southwest at Waterview Parkway.  

Visit the Pardon Our Progress website for additional updates on these and other projects on campus. 

Be Aware of Road Closures Due to Construction

Construction will cause various road closures and rerouting of traffic on campus this summer.

On Monday, the Alexander Clark Center will close to begin preparing the building for demolition, which is expected to begin in mid-June and be completed in late summer. Some of the demolition may cause loud noise, heavy machinery and dusty conditions in the area.

Hauling trucks will enter campus from the south side and leave via north on Rutford Avenue to Synergy Parkway. Flagmen will guide traffic. Pedestrians are advised to avoid the west side of Rutford south of Hoblitzelle Hall.

Also starting Monday, Drive H across Drive A from the modular labs to the south apartment drive access will be closed for several weeks of underground utility work for Parking Structure 4. Access to the apartment parking areas will remain open along Drive H from the north or south, respective of the apartment location. When the Drive A crossing work is completed, Drive H to Drive L will be closed. The only entrance to parking Lot H will be on the north side of the lot.

Road work on Drive A and Drive H also will continue this summer and is expected to be finished for the start of the fall semester. Monitor the Pardon Our Progress website for periodic updates on traffic rerouting.

Parking Lot E: Fencing has been installed around the site of  the Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center, and the tennis court portion of Lot E will be closed during construction. The rest of Lot E will remain open. Underground utility work from the satellite utility plant to the Alumni Center will begin first. The sidewalk path from the Edith O'Donnell Arts and Technology Building to Parking Structure 1 will remain closed during construction.

Northside traffic: Various lane closures may occur on Synergy Park Boulevard until work on the Northside development is complete, so watch for construction crews and barricades in the area.

 Bioengineeringand Sciences BuildingDedication

The University will host a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. Wednesday to celebrate the completion of the Bioengineering and Sciences Building. The building is the largest academic building on campus and connects to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Laboratory to further research collaboration. It is certified as a LEED Gold building by the U.S. Green Building Council. Further opportunities for tours are planned this fall.

Media Contact: The Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, [email protected].

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