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http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...0.4beb9581.jpg
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...o.3a4fbc3.html http://www2.mysanantonio.com/news/gr...esentation.pdf A&M campus could become S.A.'s Harvard Web Posted: 06/01/2008 12:02 AM CDT By Melissa Ludwig Express-News Look out Harvard, here comes Texas A&M University-San Antonio. The first sketches of a new campus and urban village to be built on the South Side reveal a bustling, walkable community that developers are comparing to Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Looking at what's now a sleepy stretch of farmland, the scenes of crowds strolling across broad plazas and tree-lined promenades seem utterly unimaginable. “Yes, Harvard-Cambridge may seem like pie-in-the sky, but it's not,” said Scott Polikov, president of Fort Worth-based Gateway Planning Group, which is designing the community for the Verano Land Group. Verano donated nearly 700 acres to Texas A&M to build the university and an irrigation technology center, with plans to recoup its costs on the surrounding developments. “One of the reasons Harvard became great is that Cambridge was planned and grew to be a vessel to support Harvard,” Polikov said. “This is absolutely possible.” Gateway's drawings depict a mixed-use community called Verano at City South, situated on 2,700 acres south of Loop 410 between Pleasanton Road and South Zarzamora Street. The future Texas A&M University-San Antonio will serve as the anchor, surrounded by high-density lofts, town homes, student housing, office and industrial space, stores and restaurants. Developers also envision a sports complex, a teaching hospital, a retirement community and a commuter rail station that may someday connect San Antonio to Austin and Round Rock. The expected completion date is 2037. “This is a generational thing, not a five-year thing,” Polikov said. “We are giving birth to a new community.” Texas A&M officials hope to break ground on campus infrastructure next year and the main building by 2010, a target that will require a Herculean effort by all stakeholders. Everything is riding on one magic number: 1,500. That's the number of full-time students needed at the local seed campus, a system center run by Texas A&M University-Kingsville that serves as the foundation for a full-grown university. Lawmakers have set aside $40 million in revenue bonds to build a new campus, but A&M will not get the money until enrollment at the system center hits 1,500. This spring, it reached 626. Maria Hernandez Ferrier, the seed campus' newly appointed director, is shooting for 1,500 this fall, more than doubling the school's enrollment over the summer. “It's our big, hairy, audacious goal,” Ferrier said. “We are going to do it. I have every confidence that we are going to do it.” Starting from scratch Ferrier's motivation goes deeper than that of a detached consultant. She's walked in her students' shoes. Ferrier grew up on San Antonio's struggling West Side and didn't start college until she was 30. By then, she had married and divorced, and had two children. A mentor encouraged her to get an education, and it opened up her world. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Our Lady of the Lake University and a doctorate in education from Texas A&M University. Ferrier went on to serve as assistant deputy secretary in the U.S. Education Department, and most recently served as director of the Southwest Independent School District's private foundation. “Did I ever dream I would be in this position? Are you kidding me?” Ferrier said. “Education opened the door for me even when I didn't believe in myself. I am seeing this in so many of our students.” As the University of Texas at San Antonio tightens its admission standards on its way to becoming a premier research university, Ferrier sees Texas A&M stepping in to serve those left behind. “People on this part of town are just as bright as any other part of town,” she said. “But they need the opportunity and this university is giving that opportunity.” With its embrace of new urbanism, the entire Verano development will raise the standard of living for many South Side residents, Ferrier said. According to Polikov, Verano will build a variety of housing, from $150,000 starter homes to $500,000 condos. Everyone from professors and students to physical plant workers should be able to live affordably in the community, he said. When finished, it will be hard to tell where the university ends and the village begins, Polikov said. Like Cambridge, people will be able to walk to the grocery store or the bookstore. Residents could use the library, and local sports leagues will share a stadium with college teams. There will be green spaces and streets designed for pedestrians and bicycles. Unlike UTSA, which started out as a commuter campus and took 40 years to become semi-residential, A&M will build housing and other amenities from the get-go. “We have the opportunity to start from scratch,” Polikov said. “That's how great communities are built.” It's also a great opportunity for wealthy philanthropists to put their names on buildings, a pitch Ferrier plans to leverage in raising money to help build the campus. Marmon Mok, a local architecture firm, already has begun drawing up plans for the permanent campus. Eventually, the university will draw 25,000 students, create 10,200 permanent jobs and have an economic impact of $790 million, according to Verano's estimates. Thirty years down the road, the development will generate $193 million a year in taxes and be worth $3.2 billion. “The market shows these are the neighborhoods maintaining their value,” Polikov said. “This is going to be an attraction at an international level.” Moving fast Much of the burden for making all this happen rests now on Ferrier's petite shoulders. Without the $40 million in revenue bonds, there will be no campus, and without 1,500 full-time students at the seed campus, there will be no revenue bonds. To help lure students, the campus is offering $1,500-a-year scholarships to every student who qualifies. Verano has already donated $1 million to a scholarship fund and is helping to raise $7 million more. The system's newly hired marketing director, Marilu Reyna, said she will launch a campaign next month to advertise the scholarships and the campus' new degree programs. “We want some awareness that we are here. And a lot of people don't know that,” Reyna said. The system center has been operating since 2000, but it languished for years in a depressing cluster of portables in a parking lot at Palo Alto College. After Texas lawmakers finally approved the revenue bonds in 2006, A&M rented and refurbished an old elementary school to allow the seed campus to expand. “Just the move here to this building, it was like a shot in the arm,” Ferrier said. Now things are moving. Fast. A&M regents went on a hiring binge to prepare for an influx of students, bringing in Ferrier, a finance director, a marketing director, an academic dean and recruiters. The campus now offers 18 undergraduate programs, up from 13 last year, and five new master's degree programs. On campus, construction workers are building a faculty lounge and computer lab and putting up walls to create more classroom space. There are also plans to turn the old cafeteria into a small cafe and bookstore for students. By fall, the campus will have 10 new full-time faculty members and a receptionist. “We want a live person answering the phone and welcoming people,” Ferrier said. Since the campus only offers junior- and senior-level courses, most of the students transfer from Alamo Community Colleges, Ferrier said. She's not sure when A&M will be able to offer a full undergraduate program, but it will take years for them to transition to a permanent campus and win accreditation. Despite the challenges, doubling enrollment by fall seems more and more possible as word spreads, Ferrier said. “People are beginning to see that this is real,” she said. |
Wow!
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My god! My jaw hit the floor and broke!
I know I've hyped Verano on here like no one else but now you see why! No offense to the OP but the title needs to be changed. That's too quiet, it needs to YELL!!!! :yes: :haha: Seriously... I can excuse how much I love it. |
If even half of that comes to fruition it will put UTSA to shame.
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When I first read the 30 year time frame, I was a bit incredulous, but now that I think about it, having the development spread out over many years will ensure that each piece is carefully crafted and given individual consideration, while still blending with the whole. Because of this, we won't be seeing any of that "fake downtown" look that plagues so many of these mixed-use developments. This will be more like an actual, functioning city, especially if the commuter rail is extended down there. I think its very telling that they're using Harvard/Cambridge as a model for this.
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Yeah, I forgot that, thanks S.A.
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And since there's so many schools, we'll have nice frequency on ASA Rail so this may be a good place you can ditch your car on every day but Sunday.
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^^^Good point.
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Hmmmm. Very nice. Too bad every university doesn't get something like this! =P This is massive!
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Imagine if UT arlington was built like this?
anyways, hopefully 30 years from now this will be an incredible place. |
whats the website???????????
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TAMUSA (tam ooh suh)
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Looks nice.
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Omg! Wow!
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Amazing!!!!:d
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Looks like the earliest ground will break is 2010 since they were 100 full-time students shy of meeting the quota to kick in the state funding of $40 million. Oh well. Patience everyone.
Story in the bizjournal. |
E-N story about A&M "marching" towards the new campus, including a "a yet-to-be-designed “iconic building” to define the new university"... There is also a HUGE graphic showing the detailed first phase of construction...
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...d_reality.html |
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Amazinnnnnnng!
It's amazing.
Here's the full TAM-SA presentation by both Marmon Mak and Sasaki. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/...66ce6329_o.png http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/...8443e3e8_o.png http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/...6dc86f46_o.png http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/...35fae951_o.png http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/...e58bfaf5_o.png http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/...b1563a9d_o.png 3,000 head count http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3267/...632133c2_o.png 4,000 head count http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3108/...c9f1c904_o.png http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3074/...fafdab75_o.png PDF Presentation Link Honestly, this blows away UTSA's main campus without question. :yes: :yes: People are also forgetting about the Verano development that is planned for the area just north of the campus between the main entrance and the main campus. You can see it in picture 2. |
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Dose any have any info on East campus?? |
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They're saying 15-20 years for total build out. I don't know about many of you, but I'll be in my mid to late forties at that point so I will most certainly be alive and I will most certainly be living in SA. |
I plan on being alive then, but just in case I'm not I'll arrange to have myself buried in SA :tup:
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A&M to break ground on South Side campus
from mysa.com
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They are building it?!? Did they reach enrollment? This is exciting.
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Just the road, right?
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Yes, just the road. The road is just as important though; Brooks would already have the new SE Baptist Hospital built had there been proper infastructure there. Which reminds me, the new TB hospital is getting worked on now across SE Military here at the TCID.
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Sorry Miaht, I wasn't trying to poo-poo the importance of the road, just trying to note exactly what is and isn't breaking ground here.
So you say the new hospital has broken ground? That's exciting, there needs to be a landmark on the SE side as folks drive up I-37 :yes: |
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Construction of A&M campus to start in fall
story here.
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Now let's hope this bill doesn't get vetoed so we can start a on new University in SA . I hope this gets signed off cause I really wanna see something like this happen for the southside now and not have to wait any longer than it should
Texas A&M-San Antonio bill OK'd By Melissa Ludwig - Express-News The Texas Legislature on Wednesday passed a bill that would immediately free up $40 million in tuition revenue bonds to build a standalone Texas A&M-San Antonio campus on the South Side. The bill lowers the full-time enrollment threshold from 1,500 to 1,000, a goal the seed campus hit this spring, triggering that money. The law would also promote the seed campus, currently a system center run by Texas A&M-Kingsville, into an independent university. “I feel like (late) Sen. Frank Madla is looking down from heaven and he is seeing the dream that started on a paper napkin at a little restaurant come to fruition,” said Maria Ferrier, director of the seed campus. Before his 2006 death in a house fire, Madla was a tireless proponent of the A&M campus. The bill now goes to Gov. Rick Perry, who vetoed a similar bill in 2007, citing concerns about waste. According to guidelines set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, building out a full-service university with fewer than 3,500 students is inefficient. But lawmakers, eager to build new universities in their home districts, have whittled that number down over the years. In addition to San Antonio, the bill helps a Texas A&M campus in Killeen and a University of North Texas campus in Dallas. Rep. Joe Farias, who helped sponsor the bill, said he is relieved the bill passed and hopeful that Perry will sign it. “I think he is truly supportive and I feel he understands the need for the university in San Antonio,” Farias said |
Anyone heard over quality over quantity?
Instead of funding expansions and trying to help UTSA reach tier 1 status we are going to pull funds for a new univrsity. I really don't think we CAN support 2 state universities now or in the forseeable future. This city doesn't support UTSA enough as is and this new university will only slow that down. I don't know what could have changed Gov. Perry's mind (surely he's not trying to buy votes for the 2010 election), but I still think this is ineficient spending. I can only imagine if Austin turned their back on making UT a tier 1 school and used that monies to build various other universities across the city. |
I think UTSA will be okay.
The support can only grow at this point, the steam has been picking up over the years. It is not a huge jump, but over time the support will be there. I think that competition fuels support. I also think they are getting funding and support is there for them to reach tier-1 status. Story here... |
Perry signs bill to kick start Texas A&M-San Antonio
Looks Like A&M SA is finally a go...
MYSA.com Gov. Rick Perry signed a law Saturday that would allow the Texas A&M System to draw down $40 million in tuition revenue bonds to start building a permanent campus for Texas A&M-San Antonio. Right now, the system is operating a seed campus in San Antonio under the auspices of Texas A&M-Kingsville. This spring, enrollment at the system center hit 1,000 full-time students, short of the 1,500 needed to receive the $40 million. The law Perry signed lowered that threshold to 1,000, allowing the campus to declare its independence from Kingsville and start building a permanent home for the new university. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...n_Antonio.html |
Texas A&M-San Antonio asking city to decide mascot, colors
Time to vote...
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I voted for the Jaguars with Black, Maroon/Silver as the colors. I was wondering what kind of mascot and colors they would choose.
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I voted Toros. I like the sound of "TAMSA Toros". :notacrook:
For colors I voted maroon and silver. Black and silver would match the Spurs, and the blue would be too similar to UTSA. |
Kell Muñoz, Bartlett Cocke picked to design/build first A&M campus building
Kell Muñoz, Bartlett Cocke picked to design/build first A&M campus building San Antonio Business Journal The Texas A&M University System selected architectural firm Kell Muñoz Inc. as the designer of Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s first building on campus. San Antonio-based Kell Muñoz will design a multi-purpose building that will house classrooms, computer labs, a library, meeting space, food services, a bookstore and common area. The facilities will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and wireless Internet. Bartlett Cocke General Contractors has been named the construction management at risk firm. Bartlett Cocke also is a local firm with 50 years of experience in San Antonio building educational facilities. The company has more than $2.5 billion worth of construction management at risk construction experience. Design work will begin immediately and construction is slated to start during the Spring of 2010 on the 640-acre site that will comprise the new South San Antonio campus. |
Rendering for new TAMUSA building
Well Spring 2010 is here....
and here is the rendering. Construction is set to start next month. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2697/...68219157_o.jpg |
Though the design could have been slightly better I believe it's still a good looking building for the campus. My major gripe w/ UTSA is that the buildings built there recently have no sense, no meaning to them. Those buldings aren't the kind you see 80-100 years later. This building, however, sorta seems like it can be a long lasting building. I like that they plan to keep green space in front to make it sorta like a meeting place or just a plce to take in some sun. I'm excited for this to go up and eventually have a full grown campus on the southside.
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That is a very nice building considering its the first building for a new four year university on the South side. It's also 100 times nicer as a starter building then what UTSA started with, for sure.
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It looks like an old high school...
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I like it, although it could use a sort of ornament at the top ofthe center tower-esque thing
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It was a nice design until they decided to use that horrid ugly brick. At lease use some accent relief colors...come on.
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Its only one building though, and not even the admin building, so I doubt its going to be the epitome of on-campus architecture. Some kind of landmark spire or tower would be a good idea for a future building though, that's something that UTSA definitely lacks. From 1604 you can't even tell that its a university. Since TAMU-SA is kind of hidden from view from 410 something with a little height would be nice to define the campus.
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Well the first building at A&M SA is topped out
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Xv2psARHFFI/TN...us-%282%29.jpg c/o mysa.com It also looks like a second building is looking to be funded. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...107390873.html At Texas A&M-San Antonio, the school is building its first permanent building with $40 million in tuition revenue bonds, but will need a second building right away, spokeswoman Marilu Reyna said. At 3,120 students and growing, the school is already larger than Trinity University and Our Lady of the Lake University, which have full-sized campuses. “The bottom line is to catch up with the growth. It is critical that we have that second building,” Reyna said. |
I was woundering about the building/campous and Im glad to see that its on the up and up. This will help growth along the 410 south area so much. Just think in 5 years or so it could have 6-7 thousand students!:cheers:
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