New Additions Mark Texas Tech's Growth, Progress
September 11, 2012
Over the past nine months, the university has unveiled five new buildings and two renovation projects.
Texas Tech is growing — and the past nine months are proof of that.
In that span, the university has unveiled five new buildings and two extensive renovation projects. The new construction, much of which was funded by private donations, is expected to attract world-class students, faculty and staff as the university makes the push to reach its goal of 40,000 students by 2020. The new buildings also are a great addition to an already-beautiful campus landscape.
The following is a closer look at the new additions:
August 2012: The Commons by United Supermarkets
Texas Tech students and visitors have an exciting new option for on-campus dining this year. Officials from Texas Tech University System hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Aug. 29 to commemorate the opening of The Commons by United Supermarkets located at 18th Street and Boston Avenue.
The stand-alone facility features 20,500 square feet of various food outlets including a Mongolian-style grill, pizzeria, mini-market and Einstein Bros. Bagels. The food court also features second-story seating overlooking the food area, complete with a hand-blown glass art installation by Studio Art’s Desire of Garland.
August 2012: Boston Avenue Residence Hall
Texas Tech Student Housing opened on Aug. 16 its newest addition to the residence hall system, Boston Avenue Residence Hall (Boston Hall). The suite-style hall offers two- and four-bedroom arrangements for more than 500 students.
The 178,000 square-foot facility took approximately 15 months from groundbreaking through construction completion. Texas Tech University System Facilities Planning and Construction partnered with BOKA-Powell Architects and Austin Commercial Construction on the project. The facility is LEED certified, ensuring that the design, construction and maintenance of the building is environmentally responsible.
August 2012: Media and Communication Building
On Aug. 23, Texas Tech cut the ribbon on a new version of an old building. The Media and Communication Building, which houses the College of Media and Communication and several other departments and areas, has given the former business administration building a new lease on life.
The newly named College of Media and Communication (formerly the College of Mass Communications) is by far the largest tenant of the new space, leaving its former building near Memorial Circle to become part of the Engineering Key.
The project was initiated to upgrade life safety, classroom technology and accessibility standards within the 204,495 gross-square-foot building complex.
There are 210 offices, 14 conference rooms, 25 general purpose classrooms and 16 dedicated classrooms/laboratories.
August 2012: The Rawls Course Clubhouse and Cash Family Team Facility
The Rawls Course at Texas Tech never had to fish for compliments.
Ranked as the number 3 collegiate golf course in the nation and the second-best public golf course in the state this year by Golfweek magazine, the links-style course designed by Tom Doak had been a perennial favorite of critics since it opened in 2003.
What it lacked was a clubhouse.
Looking out across the rolling fairways from the back porch of the course’s newest addition, it’s easy to think the picture is now complete.
June 2012: Kent R. Hance Chapel
Officials at Texas Tech announced June 6 the completion of the Kent R. Hance Chapel, a more than $3.5 million project.
The project was funded through private gifts from many donors, including David Arrington, the late Margaret Talkington and Kent Hance, chancellor of the Texas Tech University System and lead contributor to the chapel.
Located off 17th Street and University Avenu,e near the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center, the non-denominational, multifunction chapel is officially open for use and supports a broad range of religious and non-religious services, such as weddings, funerals, memorial services and other events.
February 2012: Rip Griffin Park
One week before the start of the 2012 baseball season, the Red Raider baseball team, fans and Texas Tech officials celebrated the opening of the newly renovated and expanded Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park.
Renovations to the ball park were funded entirely by private donations. A total of $5 million was raised prior to construction, which counted toward the system’s $1 billion fundraising goal for Vision & Tradition: The Campaign for Texas Tech.
December 2011: Rawls College of Business Building
Jerry S. Rawls doesn’t even try to contain his pride in the new sate-of-the-art structure that bears his name.
“All of the years of planning, and all of the years of dreaming and finally it’s a reality. And now we’re about to move in and start classes,” Rawls said in December at the ribbon cutting of the new Texas Tech University Rawls College of Business building. “This building sets the standard that Texas Tech will use forever as the baseline of what academic buildings should look like.”
Students, both undergraduate and graduate, begin classes in the massive state-of-the-art structure this week.