The continuing construction of the New UC, Cougar Place and Cougar Village II are on track for their scheduled completion dates.
The New UC project is one of the biggest projects and is in the early stages of transformation according to a University construction update and is not expected to be finished until December 2014.
The northeast side of the building is being inspected to make sure it is safe to demolish so that work can begin on expansion into the area previously used for parking lot 1E. Sanitary and storm sewer lines have already been installed for the new northeast corner.
Workers are also clearing dirt from the roof of the UC Underground to begin filling it in and building on top of it and have begun plans to remove a portion of the UC’s concrete lid.
Project Manager John Posch is overseeing construction of parking garage 1A and Cougar Village II.
“On 1A right now, we are putting in the foundation footings. We are installing some underground plumbing and electrical utilities,” Posch said.
Construction of the frame of the garage is expected to begin in late November and will be finished for the Fall 2013 semester. The garage will have five levels of parking, including the roof.
Cougar Village II is already standing and is being built in two parts. Crews are beginning work on the sixth floor in the first section, while construction of the second floor has started in the second section. It will also be linked to the main UH tunnel system, Posch said.
“They’re also finishing up the connection to the left tunnel. That’s what’s going on, on the left side. There’s a lot of excavation where they will basically tie the building into the tunnel,” Posch said.
The new residence hall is expected to open on time for the Fall 2013 semester and will add roughly 1,144 beds, Posch said.
Cougar Place will also open in Fall 2013 for sophomores and upperclassmen. Its rooms will be apartment-style, minus individual kitchens, and will add an additional 800 beds. Parking will be provided for students living in the dorm at a separate undisclosed location, according to the UH website.
Finally, Metro has begun work on the light rail line near the intersection of Cullen Boulevard and Wheeler Street. While its construction has seen some complications, it is expected to be finished by 2014.
Excellent update. The growth at the university, improving student academic profile and increased connectivity/city transportation will put UH on par with other great city based universities (Louisville & Cincinnati).
UH will be more attractive to local students and regional students who want a “typical” college experience.
I would think UHD will be employed to serve the education needs of those students who may be squeezed out temporarily as UH raises the bar for admission-those students will be able to transfer to UH after meeting minimum requirements.
I agree with everything you’ve said, Maize but disagree with utilizing my alma mater as the 2nd option. UH-D barely has enough room to begin with no plans to expand, isn’t meant to be a school that offers a traditional college experience and doesn’t have a lot of academic options. UH-D was never meant to be more than that, I guess. We’re a great option for working undergrad students in Houston and that’s about it.
UH-Clear Lake would be a better choice for those students to truly give them a “typical” college experience, better educational choices and better-ranked classes. With the downward expansion of freshman and sophomore classes, comparable admissions to UH-Main plus plans for building dorms and educational spaces, UH-Clear Lake is poised to step up as a better option for those traditional students who can’t attend UH due to other circumstances but still want to be in the Houston area.