Tech's regents today authorized campus planners to move forward with a plan to build a new 500-bed, suite-style residence hall to address a growing housing shortage.
The university's governing board agreed to a $450,000 contract with an outside firm to outline a more detailed plan for the residence hall, which is slated for a site on the corner of Boston Avenue and 19th Street -- where a soccer field sits today.
Regents on the facilities committee approved the early-stage study for the building. The full board is expected to give its final approval of the contract when it reconvenes Friday.
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I wish they wouldn't build it there. I like the depth the soccer field gives to the campus. Are there better places it could go...any thoughts?
Cutting the Budget... Sure!
With the State having to cut corners frantically to ballance the budget, with talk of even cutting Medicaid, why is a state supported university building a huge new dormitory?
If the plan alone is to cost $450K, what will the building itself cost? $100 million? $200 million?
@adunn
Did the board of regents renew the contract with RH Strategies? You think the other boondoggles performed by the BOR were bad, they spent $100,000.00 with RH Strategies in the first quarter of 2010 and all RH did was talk to congressman John Carter of the 31st congressional district (Just north of Austin). Hance hould have been able to talk to him for free.. They are now talking about extending or renewing RH's contract which calls for $31,000.00 per month to lobby for Tech. This is worse than Alberto (I can't remember) Gonzales.
According to the records I found on the internet, RH Strategies had 3 customers in 2009. Tech paid them $230,000.00, The National Group (Which I think is related to RH president Ryan Henry) paid them $41,000.00 and a law firm in Austin, Hance Scarborough paid them $30,000.00. At least these are the figures that came up when I googled RH Strategies.
Something smells fishy.
I think we are asking
where is the $50 to $100 million supposed to appear from?
new residence hall
For the last few years, we have been overflowing in students living in the residence halls. Would you want your son or daughter spending their freshman year sleeping in the hallways? Because that is how bad it is getting. With enrollment up to 31,000, and a push to get to 40,000 around the corner, we need more dorms and parking. I applaud the move.
@adunn
I think the plan is probably closer to 2.5-3% of the budget. Where do you come up with 100 to 200 million?? I wouldn't think they would build the equivalent of 2-3 overton hotels for the kids to stay in.
Let's get back to the location. And MFortner, sleeping in the hallways? Really?!?