Texas A&M Regents flag $352 million for renovations

COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents have approved $352 million worth of renovation projects for the College Station campus.

The series of construction projects to three prominent areas on campus include:

• Zachry Engineering Center, $168 million renovation;
• Corps of Cadets dorms, $135 million revamp; and
• the Commons Building, $49 million worth of improvements.

The engineering complex will open to students in December 2017. The existing 350,000-sf facility will be expanded to encompass 550,000-sf dedicated solely to undergraduate education.

The corps dorms project will renovate the remaining nine residence halls, construct two new Leadership Learning Centers at Spence/Briggs halls and Kiest/Fountain halls and perform grounds improvements to the south side quadrangle, according to project scope outlined in the agenda.

The 44-year-old Commons Building between Aston, Mosher, Dunn and Krueger Halls will use the $49 million in renovation project funds to renovate 83,000 sf of existing space and add 6,500 sf onto the structure.

Construction to Fountain, Kiest, Briggs, Spence and Gainer halls, the two Leadership Learning Centers and the north half of the quad improvements will wrap up by August 2016.

Whitely, White, Harrington and Utay halls and the south half of the quad improvements will not be completed until August 2017.

The 44-year-old Commons Building will renovate 83,000 sf of existing space and add 6,500 sf of space onto the structure. The building will feature a new game room and improvements to the community learning center, student services rooms, conference rooms, convenience store and dining area when it is completed in 2017.