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New Construction Projects Will
Enhance East Side of Campus
The University of Houston’s Board of Regents
gave its stamp of approval on several
construction projects that will ultimately
change the look and feel of the east side of
campus.
Space programs and site plans were approved
for:
Bauer Business III Addition
Optometry Building Addition
Engineering Student Services
Building
These pending approvals are critical in
that, for quite some time, the university’s
lack of space has hampered the school’s
ability to conduct needed research, and
provide ample classroom, study space, and
student support centers. All of these are
needed in order to prepare and equip
students with the tools they need to
succeed. The approved projects show that the
board acknowledges UH’s need for additional
space. Additionally, the construction of
these three buildings are all part of the UH
Framework plan which calls for developing a
Professional Precinct on the eastern edge of
campus. Currently, the Calhoun Lofts project
and Cemo Building are being constructed in
that area. The East Parking Garage will
break ground in early 2009.
Dave
Irvin, associate vice chancellor/associate
vice president for Plant Operations,
describes the buildings as being large
enough that it will take several years to
construct the new facilities. Currently,
administrators are determining how to fund
the projects, and are researching the least
expensive yet quickest ways to build the
facilities.
“It’s exciting,” Irvin
said. “That part of the campus will be
transformed. Essentially, five new buildings
are all being constructed in the same area.
The lighting and landscaping (for that area)
will be redone.” The framework plan suggests
that Calhoun Road be developed into a unique
street that takes advantage of Brays Bayou.
Collectively, the three new buildings will
add more than 225,000 gross square feet of
space to the campus. The new Optometry
addition will be five to six stories, and is
expected to give the area a dramatic new
look. Indeed, the building will function as
an attractive landmark that lets campus
visitors know they’ve arrived on the campus.
Irvin said, “The new building will serve
many different uses to support student
success. From classrooms, to research
components, the Optometry addition will
offer a facility that allows students to
observe and learn from actual surgeries.” In
addition, the new Optometry building will
incorporate many different uses such as
academic research space, an ambulatory
surgical center, administrative offices,
labs, a laser center, animal housing,
academic areas, and more.
The College
of Engineering Student Services Building
will house an auditorium, dean’s office,
career center, classrooms, computing center,
student organizations, study areas, and food
service space.
The Bauer Business III
Building will add classrooms, student
suites, student organization and meeting
rooms, staff offices, classrooms, and
breakout rooms.
Future plans for the
area include installing new signage that tie
together the various precincts, color coding
parking lots and shuttle bus routes, and
building several new parking garages.
Overall, with the construction of the new
buildings, student enrollment is expected to
increase “and our ability to graduate
students will be enhanced,” said Irvin.
