Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of New Mexico to Convert Sorority House to ROTC Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/08/21

The University of New Mexico, located in Albuquerque, N.M., has announced plans to renovate a former sorority house into a center for the campus ROTC program. The decision was made not only from a sustainability standpoint, but also to provide the ROTC facilities with a much-needed upgrade. The UNM Board of Regents’ Finance and Facilities committee has approved a $9.5-million budget for the project that still has to be approved by the full board.

“The building isn’t in great shape right now,” said UNM student Kiera Hanley in reference to the peeling paint, broken windows, and crumbling exterior walls of the former Alpha Chi Omega sorority house. “But it will be nice to have use for it. I think it’s really important to try to sustain every building UNM has right now instead of using more resources than necessary. It’s a perfectly good building that needs renovating.”

The ROTC center will provide space for the university’s Air Force, Army, and Navy service units. “The three are currently housed in separate, inadequate, older buildings which do not support 21st-century ROTC training or educational needs—or provide a higher educational environment,” said Lisa Marbury, UNM assistant vice president of Campus Environments & Facilities. The current facilities don’t meet state standards, ADA standards, and sometimes don’t have enough room for female recruits, she said.

Renovation plans for the 18,732-square-foot space also include facilities like classrooms, computer rooms, study areas, team-building training areas, offices, conference rooms, library space, and shared event spaces. Each of the three branches of service will have its own designated space within the building. UNM is partnering with RMKM Architecture, P.C. on the project.

UNM Regents said they hope the new facilities will make the campus ROTC program more attractive and competitive on a national scale. “If you go to Texas or Tulane or any other of these major universities, the facilities they provide for these programs are pretty impressive,” said UNM Regent William Payne. “So when we bring prospective students to UNM, it will be nice to have a state-of-the-art facility to encourage them to come here with.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Arizona District Breaks Ground on Community Training, Learning Center

    The Tolleson Union High School District (TUHSD) in Tolleson, Ariz., recently broke ground on a new Training & Learning Center (TLC) for both district professionals and the community at large, according to a news release. The 90,000-square-foot facility has an estimated completion date of spring 2027.

  • Miami University Approves New $242M Multipurpose Arena

    Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, recently announced that its Board of Trustees has approved construction of a new multipurpose arena at Cook Field, according to university news. The $242-million project will serve as a new centralized hub for student life and create space for economic development on campus.

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.

  • Spaces4Learning Trends & Predictions for Educational Facilities in 2026: Part II

    As education leaders look toward 2026, the design of K–12 and higher education facilities is being reshaped by powerful, converging forces. Survey respondents point to the rapid growth of Career and Technical Education, deeper alignment with workforce and industry needs, and the accelerating influence of AI and emerging technologies.