UT-Austin Breaks Ground on 17-Story Business School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/01/25

The University of Texas at Austin recently broke ground on a new, 17-story facility that will serve as the new home for the school’s McCombs School of Business, according to university news. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on April 10 for Mulva Hall, which will include amenities like classrooms, academic department suites, research centers, faculty offices, the dean’s office, and gathering spaces. The building is scheduled to open to students in fall 2028.

According to university news, the 373,000-square-foot facility will cost about $425 million. It will feature 29 classrooms; a collaborative learning auditorium that seats 200; three specialty education labs; and a central office tower housing the dean’s suite, administrative space, and faculty offices. The university partnered with Perkins&Will for the project’s design.

Rendering courtesy of Perkins&Will

“This is not just the start of a construction project but a new chapter in the history of the McCombs School of Business,” said Vandana Nayak, managing director of Perkins&Will’s Dallas Studio. “Perkins&Will’s design will transform the experience of students who come to McCombs, with a goal of shaping the world of business. We hope Mulva Hall becomes a landmark not just on the campus but in the lives it will touch.”

Funding comes from a combination of $50 from the McCombs reserves, $150 million from McCombs donors, and $225 million financed by the university, according to university news.

“In this strategic location, Mulva Hall will both amplify McCombs’ robust spirit of community and invite collaboration with Austin’s booming business ecosystem,” said McCombs Dean Lillian Mills. “By creating this ‘business neighborhood’ at UT, we’re deepening our connections with each other, opening our offerings to the greater Austin business community, and exponentially increasing our ability to create and share the knowledge that will change the world.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • University of Kentucky Integrates New Cleaning Technology

    The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently installed a new cleaning system designed to improve cooling efficiency on campus, according to a news release. The Facilities Management’s Utilities and Energy Management Unit installed new chiller tubes into two of the chillers at the university’s Central Utility Plant.

  • Agualta STEAM Engine

    Outdoor Learning Spaces and Biophilic Design Create Community in East Los Angeles

    Griffith STEAM Magnet Middle School's Agualta STEAM Engine blends education, community, and nature through its adaptable design.

  • Key Considerations for Office-to-Higher-Education Facility Conversions

    Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, office-to-alternative-use conversions have become a recurring subject of urban development discourse. Office utilization rates across major U.S. cities remain below 50%, with vacancy rates exceeding 27% in San Francisco and 16% in New York. Higher education facilities present programmatic and spatial use cases that align readily with the typical characteristics of commercial office buildings.

  • Singlewire Software Report Reveals Gaps in K–12 School Entrance Security

    Single Software recently released its first-ever School Entrance Security Report based on more than 500 responses from U.S. school staff members. According to a news release, the findings highlight a gap between K–12 leaders’ wishes for school safety and how safe the schools actually are, as well as the challenges facing students and staff in that goal.

Digital Edition