GALVESTON, Texas - The University of Texas System Board of Regents has approved a proposal by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to construct a $90 million general research facility.
"This research building will allow UTMB to better serve our current research faculty and allow us to attract world class researchers to Galveston," said Garland D. Anderson, dean of the School of Medicine. "Our goal over the next decade is to substantially increase our research funding, particularly in the basic research departments, and a new state-of-the-art research building will be essential to achieving that goal."
Plans call for the new University Boulevard Research Building to be built at Sixth Street and Harborside Drive, across the street from UTMB's Primary Care Pavilion.
Mike Shriner, vice president of Facilities and Campus Services, said that a building that houses about 120 students and two small metal buildings would be demolished to make way for the new facility. A building to replace the student housing has been approved for construction at 13th and Mechanic streets.
The four-five-story research facility will include approximately 140,000 square feet, with 76,000 square feet dedicated to research. This will increase by 20 percent the amount of space UTMB devotes to research.
Funding includes $30.5 million from the UT System's Permanent University Fund, $29.5 from revenue bonds and the remainder from gifts.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2010 with completion in 2012.