Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center

The Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center, which is north of the Naveen Jindal School of Management, between the Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building and Parking Structure 1, will officially open in September.

Over the summer, progress will continue on several major UT Dallas construction projects, including the completion of a new alumni center and a new institute aimed at improving brain health.

The 30,000-square-foot Davidson-Gundy Alumni Center, which will officially open in September, will feature a ballroom that can accommodate up to 800 people, meeting rooms, office space for staff and an outdoor area with an expansive patio.

The 62,000-square-foot Brain Performance Institute facility in Dallas will bring together the latest research and training techniques designed to improve cognitive skills. Initial offerings will include cognitive training programs and assessments for adolescents through adults, as well as The Discovery Group, a program for people who have been recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and their caregivers.

“This will be a busy summer for our campus enhancement teams and the construction crews as they work to make progress while the campus is less crowded,” said Dr. Calvin Jamison, vice president for administration. “Our goal is to lessen the inherent inconvenience of construction as much as possible, and we appreciate everyone’s patience as our teams endeavor to improve our infrastructure to better support our growing campus.”

Academic Buildings

Construction will continue on the 200,000-square-foot Engineering Building, scheduled for completion by the start of fall 2018. The new home for the Department of Mechanical Engineering will have research and teaching labs, faculty offices, student workspace and a 300-seat auditorium that will be named in honor of Dr. Alexander Clark, a former vice president of academic affairs and one-time acting president of the University.

Engineering Building

Construction of the 200,000-square-foot Engineering Building will lead to partial closures of parking Lot H and Rutford Avenue this summer.

The building will also include a retail grab-and-go facility, a third-floor student lounge with a balcony and a landscaped courtyard with seating for studying and collaborating.   

Portions of parking Lot H will be closed intermittently through Tuesday, Aug. 15, as crews install utility lines for the new building. Also, a part of Rutford Avenue will be closed intermittently until Saturday, May 27, as workers connect a telecommunications duct bank to the building. Signs will direct drivers to alternate routes.

Meanwhile, preparations have begun for the construction of a new sciences building at the current site of the Visual Arts Building. Fencing will be placed in the area, but pedestrian and vehicular pathways around the site will remain accessible. Current work and instructional spaces inside the Visual Arts Building will be moved to the Research and Operations Center West building, and a new 6,000-square-foot gallery will be added to the second phase of the Synergy Park North building.

Campus Housing, Retailers

Progress continues on Student Housing Phases VI and VII, two apartment-style complexes at Loop Road Southwest and Waterview Parkway that will provide 800 new beds on campus for the fall 2017 semester.

Apartments

New apartments on the southwest side of campus will add 800 new beds this fall.

Phase VI will be 206,000 square feet and include a mix of efficiency, one-, and two-bedroom apartments, as well as an open multipurpose space, a common laundry facility, office space for support staff, an outdoor recreation area, secure bike storage, bike racks and a surface parking lot for 150 vehicles.  It is on the south side of Loop Road Southwest at Waterview Parkway.

Phase VII will be 127,000 square feet and will feature two- and four-bedroom configurations with internal corridors, an open multipurpose space, offices for support staff and laundry facilities. It is on the north side of Loop Road Southwest at Waterview Parkway.  

Nearby, a new cricket field is nearing completion and is expected to be ready for the fall semester.

North of campus, the transit-oriented, mixed-use development Northside continues to grow.

Northside Phase 1 is fully leased for fall 2017 and retailers Jimmy John’s and Delish Bubble Tea opened during the spring semester. Additional retailers such as Chopped, American Tap Room and Northside Drafthouse are coming soon.

The second phase of the development started construction this spring and is scheduled for completion in fall 2018. It will offer an additional 6,600 square feet of retail space and 275 housing units with 900 beds.

Parking and Transportation

Several parking lots will undergo asphalt repairs and have faded markings restriped. The work will be done in phases with various sections of the following lots closing temporary: Lots A, B, C, D, E, G, H, J, L, M, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W and the Armstrong Drive parallel parking. In addition, renovations are planned for the configurations of Drive C and Lot J. Watch for signage and barricades in the parking lots. 

Also, Comet Cab routes will not be operating until Tuesday, May 30, when limited summer service begins. In addition, Booster Fuels will have reduced summer hours. The fueling service will be available 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday.

Renovations

Work to replace the Administration Building’s roof will begin Thursday, June 1, and last about two months. Other renovations are planned for the first-floor classroom space in the Administration Building, the third-floor restrooms in Green Hall and the newly leased space in the Synergy Park North building.

Visit the Pardon Our Progress website for additional updates on these and other campus projects.