This article originally appeared on CityBiz.
Hoar brings wealth of knowledge in higher education construction projects as university embarks on next phase of strategic growth.
Hoar Construction announced today the groundbreaking for a 50,000-square-foot expansion at Braithwaite College of Nursing and Health Sciences at The University of Texas at Tyler. Expected to be completed in Summer 2024, the expansion will build on the current School of Nursing building to accommodate the program’s burgeoning student population. Senior project manager Sean Cagle, who has overseen numerous higher ed capital projects across the region, will lead the initiative on behalf of Hoar.
Doubling the size of the existing building to roughly 100,000 square feet, the first floor of the expansion will provide additional classrooms, office spaces, student meeting areas and advanced, innovative labs that mimic hospital environments for hands-on learning. The expansion will modernize the building to match other new construction on campus with concrete columns, a tall glass facade at the entrance and a large canopy outside of the building promoting outdoor student collaboration.
“As we continue to grow our footprint across North Texas, we are proud to work alongside UT Tyler in delivering this state-of-the-art facility to campus, which will greatly enhance the academic offerings for the next generation of nursing students,” said Cagle. “Hoar has an extensive resume of higher education construction projects across the country, and our know-how and expertise in constructing quality facilities on active school campuses positions us well for this opportunity. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with UT Tyler and continuing our track record of success across the northern region of the state.”
As part of Texas’ statewide Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program, Hoar is aiming to achieve a HUB goal of 21.1%, meaning that a percentage of businesses the firm partners with during the project meet the certification requirements of the program. The HUB Program is set up to promote full and equal opportunities for small, minority- and women-owned businesses in Texas in order to ease disparity in procurement and contracting. Hoar is on track to meet or exceed the HUB target, reflecting the firm’s broader goal of forging new career paths for communities who have historically been underrepresented within the construction industry.
UT Tyler is experiencing a tremendous amount of growth in its student population, reaching a record number of enrolled students for the first time in its history in 2021. The school unveiled a master plan for long-term strategic growth in 2018, which includes a number of new facilities and campus additions to be constructed over the next decade.
Additional project partners include Fitzpatrick Architects as the design lead and Project Control as the owner’s representative.
After forming in 2021, Hoar’s North Texas office has been active in the market with several higher education initiatives. Hoar recently completed four projects on Abilene Christian University’s campus and was awarded the contract for a new basketball arena at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
