The next generation of liberal arts students at the University of Texas at El Paso will only know the cutting-edge Texas Western Hall as the former liberal arts building slips into history.
The $110 million, 124,725-square-foot learning complex was officially unveiled on Thursday, Jan. 15, and is the culmination of $57.1 million in permanent university funds approved by The University of Texas System Board of Regents in 2023 and $52.4 million from the Texas Legislature in 2021. Texas Western Hall joins the bevy of new buildings and expansions on campus that bolster UTEP’s investment in the region’s students.
“The students will be the real beneficiaries of this new classroom space,” UTEP president Heather Wilson said. “The design for this building takes into account how teaching is changing, as much of the best teaching is not by lectures. We didn’t have much space for that collaborative learning style, but there are 20 collaborative learning classrooms in Texas Western Hall.”
Texas Western Hall includes 30 classrooms that can serve more than 1,700 students, a 150‑seat auditorium with advanced AV technology, and a 3,000‑square‑foot rooftop terrace that seats 200 with views of Centennial Plaza. The building also features a 2,300‑square‑foot lobby with 40‑foot ceilings and a radiant floor-heating system that enhances energy efficiency.
“The spaces and technologies are designed to be flexible and maintainable so that they stand the test of time,” Wilson said. “The building is designed for teaching as well as other events we have on campus. The Liberal Arts building is going away, and more than 500,000 man-hours went into the construction of this building.”
Over 1,000 tons of reinforced steel, 350 tons of asphalt, and 120 miles of cable have made more than a building; it built a legacy, Wilson noted. The continued expansion of the university comes amid tuition that has not been raised in four years.
The name Texas Western Hall was chosen as an ode to the history of a growing and evolving university.
UTEP as ‘access to higher education and excellence’
Dr. John Zerwas, an anesthesiologist and chancellor of the UT System, added that UTEP represents an opportunity for many in the Borderland region and thus a prime location for investment by the UT Board of Regents.
“Texas Western Hall was a project that rose to the top in the list of (priorities) for the Board of Regents,” Zerwas said. “It’s one destined to serve generations of students and the Texas Legislature was critical to making this a success. There are few universities in the nation with the trajectory of UTEP and the UT System could not be prouder.”
Located southeast of UTEP’s current Liberal Arts Building, Texas Western Hall replaces that facility, which will be demolished later this year. The university set aside funds from the Texas Western Hall project to restore the arroyo and connect the new gardens in and around it to Centennial Plaza.
Sundt Construction served as the general contractor, while Ayers Saint Gross contributed to the architectural design.
“When UTEP succeeds, El Paso succeeds. When El Paso succeeds, Texas succeeds,” Zerwas said.
State Sen. Cesar Blanco recalled his time as an undergraduate student and underscored the growth and success of his alma mater.
“Texas Western Hall represents opportunity and access,” Blanco, D-El Paso, said. “It’s a connection between its proud history and the future of the university. UTEP made history by opening doors and challenging norms. It provided opportunity when talent was given that opportunity.”
Blanco explained the building will be “where futures are going to take shape.”
Few things as ‘sacred’ as education
Ryan Boatright, president of the Student Government Association and a Liberal Arts major, characterized the new building as part and parcel with the university’s mission.
“Sacrifice is made by entire communities that believe that education can open doors to a better future,” Boatright said. “Education is more than a requirement or a steppingstone. It’s a privilege and an opportunity to question the world and understand it more deeply. What happens in these classrooms shapes more than our grades or careers. It shapes our character.”
Alexis Navarro, a junior in the Computer Science program, is eager to continue her commitment to the university when it invests in students like her.
“This makes me see that this administration really cares about the students and wants to put them in a space where they can grow and succeed,” Navarro said. “It’s not only that they build facilities like this, but that it doesn’t come out of the students’ pockets. This investment makes me want to stay in El Paso and come back to give back to future students.”
Recently, the university opened the $80 million Advanced Manufacturing and Aerospace Center and has an approved $108 million housing project to meet increased enrollment.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP shifts focus to future as Texas Western Hall replaces old facility
Reporting by Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
