UTEP Celebrates Construction Milestone for New Academic Building

The University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas, recently held a “topping out” ceremony for its new learning complex, Texas Western Hall, according to university news. The construction milestone marks the placement of the last beam of a structure in progress. The university is partnering with Sundt Construction on the project, which broke ground in late 2023 and is scheduled for completion in spring 2026.

The complex comes with a price tag of a $110 million, and it will cover 124,725 square feet. Amenities will include almost 30 classrooms, multiple large auditoriums, 23 collaboration spaces, a rooftop terrace, and a café, university news reports.

“Working together, the UTEP, Ayers Saint Gross and Sundt teams have created a beautiful building that reflects both the tradition of Bhutanese architecture at UTEP and the need for a 21st century learning environment,” said Sundt’s vice president and El Paso regional director, Joseph Riccillo. “I’m thankful to celebrate this milestone with our partners and everyone who has worked on Texas Western Hall and I look forward to the day very soon when we can officially open it for use.”

Funding for the project came from the Texas legislature and permanent funds from The University of Texas System Board of Regents. University news reports that after construction is complete, the adjacent Liberal Arts building will be demolished to restore the arroyo beneath it.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Construction Begins on East Austin CTE-Focused High School

    The Del Valle Independent School District recently announced that construction has begun on a new CTE-focused high school in Austin, Texas, according to a news release. Del Valle High School will measure in at 473,338 square feet and have the capacity for 2,400 students.

  • Pittsburgh High School Upgrades Athletics Facilities’ Technology

    Plum Senior High School in Pittsburgh, Penn., recently partnered with South-Dakota-based Daktronics through the We’re All Mustangs Here Foundation to upgrade the technology in its athletics facilities, according to a news release. Daktronics designed, built, and installed new LED video displays and finished the project in time for the beginning of the 2025 high-school football season.

  • Recent University of Pennsylvania Projects Receive LEED Certifications

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently announced that three of its recent construction projects have earned LEED certifications, according to university news. The Vagelos Laboratory for Energy Science and Technology (VLEST) received a LEED Platinum certification, Amy Gutmann Hall a LEED Gold, and the OTT Center for Track and Field a LEED silver.

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

Digital Edition