Published: Feb 7, 2002
The University’s trustees in
late January approved a $27-million bond issue that will be used to finance the
next phase of the campus master plan, bringing the total construction on campus
to more than $100 million since 1995.
While the plan involves construction and renovation projects beyond the end
of the current decade, this next phase will provide sorely needed residence hall
and parking space for UT’s growing student population.
About $16 million will be used for a 490-bed, 163,000-square- foot residence
hall on the site of the current tennis courts. This eight-story facility will
be the first structure on what eventually will become the Grand Lawn, although
the current soccer field, track, and baseball fields will remain for a few
years.
Completion date for the new hall is set for the fall of 2003. The
construction company that will build the new residence hall is BECK.
The new residence hall will be apartment style with each unit having four
single bedrooms, a living room area, a kitchen and a bathroom.
Later this spring, ground will be broken on the $6-million first phase of the
new parking deck that will include 900 spaces in six stories.
The completion date is set for August of this year, in time for the start of
fall classes.
Finfrock, an Orlando company, is the general contractor.
A third project will include the first phase of an extensive renovation of
McKay Hall, a 30-year-old residence hall on the banks of the Hillsborough
River.
The remaining bond funds will be used for fees, permits, debt service reserve
and other mandatory expenditures of the bond issue.
In the last seven years, the University has spent $80 million on three new
residence halls, a student life center, a college of business building, covered
parking garage and renovation of existing facilities. More than 75 percent of
student housing has been replaced to accommodate seven consecutive years of
record incoming classes.
For more information, contact the Office of Public Information at publicinfo@ut.edu.