New Year, New Buildings    

As academic programs continue to expand, Texas A&M University at Galveston has several ongoing and upcoming building projects essential to accommodating the rising need for space. 

Last fall, the campus celebrated the groundbreaking for the Supplemental Utility Plant (SUP). Located on the east side of campus near the Sea Aggie Center and intramural field, the SUP is phase one of infrastructure improvements, providing increased cooling and heating capacity, expandable through the installation of additional chillers and boilers. The SUP, which is compatible with the current plant, will help meet current campus demands while supporting future growth. Design for phase two, which includes additional infrastructure and dock improvements, began in December, just prior to the winter break.

The Powell Marine Engineering Complex (PMEC) currently supports the university's engineering programs. However, the increasing number of degrees offered in Galveston through the College of Engineering has created the need for additional space. The new 51,300-square-foot building, tentatively named the Engineering Classroom and Research Building (ECRB), will be located on the drill field between PMEC, Waterfront Operations and Kirkham Hall, and will provide much-needed additional classrooms, laboratories, research facilities and administrative space.

The ECRB will serve as a hub for freshman engineering and support several programs, including marine engineering technology, computer science, ocean engineering, tracks in electro marine engineering technology and engineering for marine environments, and the new marine electro-technology minor. Construction will begin this year with an expected completion date of November 2025.

Though completion dates are tentative, Grant Shallenberger, associate vice president for administration and auxiliary services, said that each project is currently on schedule. 

Texas A&M University at Galveston recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, and what started as a single structure is now a bustling campus with more than two dozen buildings. As the 21st century continues to deliver new challenges to coastal communities and the marine and maritime industries, the students, faculty and staff will continue to research, educate and innovate. Everything the campus does is committed to supporting the blue economy; these new facilities will serve as the foundation for supporting that mission.