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

  • Greenheck Receives Sourcewell Cooperative Contract

    Air movement, control, conditioning, and distribution equipment solutions provider Greenheck recently announced that it has been awarded a Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract, according to a news release. The HVAC Systems contract will allow Greenheck the opportunity to expand opportunities in government procurement and other public agencies in North America.

  • California High School Starts Construction on New CTE Building

    Analy High School, part of the West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently broke ground on a new Career Technical Education (CTE) Building, according to a news release. The 15,000-square-foot facility will offer specialized facilities for students in engineering, welding, culinary arts, agricultural sciences, and design thinking.

  • Springfield Breaks Ground on $53.7M Pipkin Middle School Rebuild

    Construction is underway on a new, state-of-the-art Pipkin Middle School in Springfield, Mo., a major step in Springfield Public Schools’ (SPS) long-term facility improvement plan, according to local news. The $53.7-million project officially broke ground in early June, following years of planning and community input aimed at modernizing aging infrastructure and addressing student capacity concerns.

  • College of the Mainland Starts Construction on New Library & Learning Center

    College of the Mainland in Texas City, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Library & Learning Center, according to a news release. The new facility is part of a larger, $250-million campus expansion project funded by a 2023 bond program.

Digital Edition