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End of summer sees new facilities ready for use

Written by Johnathan Silver, The Shorthorn staff

Tuesday, 28 July 2009 07:11 PM

Engineering Lab Expansion Facts

Cost: $22.9 million
Where the money comes from:
• Tuition revenue bonds — $22 million
• Revenue Financing System Bonds — $900,000

Construction started: July 23, 2008
Construction completed: July 27, 2009

What the new third floor provides:
• Additional labs and office space
• A conference room
• New research areas

Ribbon Cutting ceremony
When: 10-11 a.m. Sept. 2
Where: 500 W. First St.

Source: Engineering dean Bill Carroll, Bioengineering chairman Khosrow Behbehani and the UT System Office of Facilities Planning and Construction executive summary report

The College of Engineering will move into the substantially completed Engineering Lab Building, turned over to the university Monday, throughout August.

The Engineering Lab Building expansion began July 2008 with a projected $22 million cost, according to Bill Carroll, College of Engineering dean. The expansion project will help advance the college’s goal of becoming nationally recognized, Carroll said. The lab building is part of the Engineering Research Complex, which includes the Engineering Research Building and Nedderman Hall. The lab building should be operational by Aug. 24, in time for the first day of school, said Bill Amendola, UT System senior project manager.

Substantial completion means the building structure is finished, he said. Now furniture is being moved in and facilities are being set up.

The engineering college will celebrate its 50th anniversary and have an official ribbon cutting ceremony for the remodeled building Sept. 2.

The third floor addition to the building includes additional labs, a conference room and new research areas, including a first — a set location for doctoral and post-doctoral students to conduct research.

“There is a fair amount of positive excitement from faculty and students,” Bioengineering Department chairman Khosrow Behbehani said.

With the third floor, all bioengineering faculty can work out of the renovated building.

“Having all the faculty in the same building along with their research labs help create collaborative research projects which, in turn, will attract students interested in doing bioengineering doctoral work,” Behbehani said.

The Engineering Research Building is projected to be completed January 2011.

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