The Board of Regents overseeing the Texas A&M University System approved a series of major construction projects totaling more than $500 million yesterday. The projects are diverse and range from facilities for space exploration research to veterinary care and childhood education buildings.
In 2023, the state approved $1.19 billion in new spending for Texas A&M. Chancellor John Sharp said, “This agenda not only underscores the great needs of the state and nation. It is only possible thanks to the foresight and commitment of our state leaders.”
A sample of Board-approved construction projects:
A $200 million research facility at the Johnson Space Center in Houston will support future missions to the moon and Mars.
According to the university statement, construction on the 32-acre site starts in January 2025. The facility will feature innovative landscapes that replicate the surfaces of the moon and Mars, supporting a unique environment for research and development.
Rendering of the Texas A&M University Space Institute planned for construction near the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Image: Texas A&M
A $10 million hypersonic wind tunnel will be built at Texas A&M-RELLIS in Bryan. Once completed, it will be the largest academic hypersonic wind tunnel in the United States, capable of conducting large-scale aerodynamic testing between Mach 5 and 9. Construction is expected to begin in December.
Texas A&M University is home to one of the largest schools of veterinary medicine. The university said the existing facility is set up for 6,000 cases annually, but nearly 24,000 cases pass through the College Station location. A new $181 million Clinical Veterinary Teaching & Research Complex will expand the facilities. Construction is expected to start in January.
Clinical Veterinary Teaching & Research Complex rendering. Image: Texas A & M
The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services, or TEEX, trains firefighters, law enforcement personnel, public works professionals, and cybersecurity specialists. The Texas A&M—RELLIS campus plans to build a $25.3 million emergency services and infrastructure training facility. The facility will include an urban simulation grid and classrooms. Construction is expected to start in December.
Texas A&M-San Antonio will see the development of Educare, a $21.69 million early childhood education facility. This project will provide hands-on experience for students and offer affordable childcare to residents in Bexar County. Construction is scheduled to begin in December.
This construction project covers two bases. It includes renovations to a softball facility and construction of a multipurpose track-and-field facility at Texas A&M-San Antonio.
The Board approval also includes a new $7.4 million dining facility starting work at Texas A&M-Commerce in December.
In College Station, plans also include $74.9 million for utility and HVAC upgrades.
The university said the initiative advances research capabilities and improves student services across the system.
The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest higher education systems in the US. It includes a statewide network of 11 universities and carries an annual budget of $7.3 billion.
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