Today@Sam Article

TSUS Regents Approve Building Purchase, Construction Documents For SHSU

Nov. 18, 2016
SHSU Media Contact: Julia May

The Texas State University System Board of Regents—Sam Houston State University’s governing body—has given the university approval to begin the process to purchase property located at 1 Financial Plaza in Huntsville.

The regents took the action at their quarterly meeting in Huntsville on Friday (Nov. 18). 

The building will be used for office and classroom space to relieve overcrowded conditions on the main SHSU campus and to provide space for administrative support functions that are currently in leased facilities.

Originally known as the Bank of America tower, the structure includes approximately 50,500 square feet of Class A office space. The university currently leases 14,266 square feet of the property for the School of Nursing instructional and administrative activities. 

In other business, the regents approved design development documents for the Lowman Student Center addition project at a cost of $42.9 million to be funded by Texas State University Revenue Bonds in the amount of $36 million and $6.9 million by auxiliary funds.

The two-story, 78,000-square-foot addition will include a relocated Kat Klub with an eight-lane bowling alley; two new food service vendor locations and supporting dining facilities; a 10,000-square-foot modern ballroom, which can be divided into four small rooms; two large meeting spaces; one medium meeting room; an elevated outdoor terrace; and an exterior pre-function area.

Additional improvements include a relocated catering kitchen and reconfigured food venues to connect to a 4,000-square-foot atrium. There also will be four loading docks for deliveries, a trash compactor, and mechanical and electrical service areas. A covered pedestrian bridge above the service drive will connect the existing parking garage to the Level 2 ballroom circulation corridor.

“The Lowman Student Center, as it exists today, was designed for 13,000 students. Enrollment is now over 20,000,” SHSU President Dana G. Hoyt told the regents. “The current building lacks the needed functional space and configuration for a large, open gathering and lounge space for students to congregate, relax and study.

“The existing food service venues are in an awkward location, with a difficult service flow and negligible connection to the remainder of the campus,” she said. “In addition, the building does not have a primary entrance, which makes it very difficult to navigate through the building. By expanding the facility, these issues can be addressed, and the Lowman Student Center will be positioned to serve the needs of the growing student body.”

In related construction business, the regents also approved design development documents for the Thomason Building Repurpose project at a cost of $8.2 million, to be funded by TSUS Revenue Bonds in the amount of $8.1 million and by Higher Education Assistance Funds in the amount of $100,000.

The Thomason Building was completed in 1950 as the Graphic Arts Building. An elevator was added in 1978 and the first floor was renovated in 1990. Once the project is complete, the building will house administrative suites for Marketing and Communications; Risk Management/Environmental Health and Safety; Treasurer; Payroll; Controller; Human Resources; Office of Research and Sponsored Programs; and Disbursement and Travel Services. 

The regents also authorized the university to increase the designated tuition rate for graduate students from $185.50 per semester credit hour to $199.50, effective for the fall 2017 semester. The designated tuition rate for undergraduate students will increase from $165.50 to $178 per credit hour.

“This increase will allow SHSU to continue to recruit and retain exceptional faculty, expand programs and services, and cover fixed cost increases and other operating cost increases that are driven by enrollment growth,” Hoyt told the regents.

The university also was authorized to waive the Recreational Sports Fee, Student Center Fee and Medical Fee for students who are enrolled exclusively in online distance learning courses and reside more than 60 miles from campus, effective spring 2017.

The board also recognized SHSU Distinguished Professor of Finance James Bexley as a recipient of the 2016 Regents’ Professor award. 

Bexley is an award-winning author of more than 100 publications on banking and finance, has served for nearly two decades as the Smith-Hutson Endowed Chair of Banking, and pioneered the curriculum for the university's Bachelor of Business Administration Executive-In-Residence program.

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