Texas Legislature Approves $100M for Health Sciences Center

  • By Matt Jones
  • 10/20/21

The Texas Legislature recently approved $100 million for the construction of a health sciences building on the campus of Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. The funds come as part of a $3.3 billion campus construction project approved for universities around the state as the legislature’s special session came to a close, according to a news release.

“This state investment is a game-changer for Texas Woman’s, as the new building will allow the Denton campus to expand programming in high-need, health-related fields such as nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy and mental health, just to name a few,” said Chancellor Carine M. Feyten. “The benefit will be felt throughout the Texas Woman’s University System by alleviating pressure on the clinical programs in Dallas and Houston as well, better positioning all three campuses to grow as we operationalize our status as the first university system in the nation with a commitment to women.”

The bill was added to the agenda’s special session less than a week before it was approved. Feyten thanked three Denton County legislators (Sen. Drew Springer, Sen. Jane Nelson and Rep. Lynn Stucky) for securing the funds on such short notice. During testimony before the legislature during its regular session, Feyten requested funds for a health science facility on the Denton campus. She said the building would feature classrooms, offices, clinical space and laboratories and that it would replace existing but aging health facilities requiring significant renovation or expansion.

The building is estimated to cover 250,000 square feet and will come with a price tag of $108 million. The legislature’s funding would cover 92% of that. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott must still sign the bill before it can take effect.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • a traditional red brick school building with the right side visibly deteriorated and the left side well-maintained, surrounded by neat landscaping

    Making the Grade: Navigating Funding Uncertainty in K-12 Schools

    School districts across the country must prepare for all possible funding scenarios by analyzing school asset and infrastructure conditions, understanding their funding needs, and developing a proactive maintenance strategy to stretch their funding dollars.

  • Rice University to Build New Student Life Complex

    Rice University in Houston, Texas, recently announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the upcoming Moody Center Complex for Student Life (MCCSL) will take place on May 8, 2025, according to a university news release. The 75,000-square-foot facility was designed by architecture firm Olson Kundig with Page serving as executive architect, and it has an estimated completion date of fall 2027.

  • Fellowes Launches New Textile Collection

    Fellowes Contract Interiors recently partnered with Momentum Textiles & Wallcoverings to launch a new line of high-end-design, cost-effective textiles, according to a news release. Part of Momentum Textiles’ Kickstart collection, the new selection offers high-quality and versatile textiles for both smaller budgets and the early design phase of larger projects.

  • Carnegie Grants R2 Status to East Texas A&M

    East Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas, recently announced that it has been designated a Research 2 (R2) institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, according to a news release. The R2 designation took effect on February 13.