The risers and the floors are up on the first building that will make up the Texas A&M-Fort Worth’s three building campus, and plans for the second building — which could cost up to $260 million — are moving forward.
During its Aug. 1 meeting, the Texas A&M Board of Regents approved an interlocal agreement that will pave the way for the design of the second building, the Research and Innovation Building.
The building will be funded through an agreement with city and private sector partners, according to the college’s website. The agreement was not made public, and board members did not comment on the decision before the vote.
The Research and Innovation Building will be home to collaboration and research in many key sectors, including engineering, aerospace, defense and health sciences, among others. It will also include key Texas A&M research programs, including a transportation institute, engineering experiment station, AgriLife and the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
“Our state agencies bring a whole different dynamic to the campus, whether through research, workforce training or other services to the community and local businesses,” Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp said in a statement.
The building is projected to cost up to $260 million, with an estimated $150 million coming from the Texas A&M system. The interlocal agreement is with the Research and Innovation Government Corporation, a local government corporation set up by the city that will help raise funds for the downtown campus.
Darryl Heath is the executive director of the Fort Worth-Tarrant County Innovation Partnership, a group identifying private sector needs for business development around the downtown campus.
“We have met with over 50 companies in North Texas over the last year,” said Heath. “We are trying very hard to make this demand driven, so that we are really meeting the needs and the value drivers of companies in the area.”
Officials broke ground on the Law and Education Building last year. The Research and Innovation Building will be financed by tenant leases, donations and parking revenue, according to a Texas A&M announcement. The campus’ third and final building, the Gateway Building, will be constructed on the site of the existing Texas A&M School of Law and serve as a multipurpose community facility.
During the Thursday meeting, the board also approved the purchase of a building at 3153 Sandy Lane that is part of Midcities Logistics Park in east Fort Worth.
Shomial Ahmad is a higher education reporter for the Fort Worth Report, in partnership with Open Campus. Contact her at shomial.ahmad@fortworthreport.org.
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