Temple College building project to break ground May 1

Apr 25, 2023

A design rendering provides a glimpse of the future Temple College Main Building, one of four facilities being built at the college’s Temple campus. Groundbreaking on the project is May 1.

DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE

Temple College will officially break ground May 1 on a massive $160 million building project that will change the face of the Temple campus.

The groundbreaking ceremony will be at 1 p.m. in the campus parking lot at the southwest corner of 1st Street and Avenue U, and it will kick off construction of four new buildings. The project is being funded in part by a $124. 9 million bond package approved by voters in May 2021.

“All of the work will be taking place simultaneously, and we plan on having all four buildings finished by Temple College’s 100th anniversary in 2026,” said TC President Christy Ponce.

“We are excited to invite everyone to this historic event that will transform and modernize the Temple College campus,” Ponce said.

“So many people throughout the many communities we serve are connected and benefit from the amazing educational and workforce programs at Temple College. This groundbreaking ceremony is a chance for us to celebrate and thank everyone who contributed along the way.”

“This will be the official construction kick-off and a fantastic way for us to showcase the transformation and champion Temple College as we build for the future,” she said.

The four buildings include the Temple College Main Building, the Visual Arts & Workforce Building, a new Health Sciences Center and a Campus Service Center.

The four-story TC Main will serve as the college’s new “front door” and will stand on the current Berry Hall and Instructional Services Center location at the sound end of campus. It will house a welcome center; all student services; a university center with offices and classrooms for university partners to offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs; advanced technology-enabled classrooms; a student success center, including writing and math labs for student support; and a large events facility that will hold more than 600 people.

The Visual Arts & Workforce Building will be constructed on the northwest corner of campus. Its footprint will extend across the north end of campus, encompassing the current Visual Arts Center site on Fifth Street.

It will feature a large art gallery to showcase student and faculty works of art; ample studio space for photography, ceramics, painting and sculpture; classrooms; four high-bay labs for advanced manufacturing; computer labs; skills labs for engineering technology, robotics, corporate training, logistics and more; and a certification center for students with prior work experience to demonstrate skills for college credit and certifications.

A new multi-story Health Sciences Center will be featured on the east side of the campus and help the College expand its numerous health care programs, including nursing and sonography, and create new programs.

This new facility will be built in partnership with Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center to include a standardized patient clinic to help train future medical students.

The new Campus Service Center will be constructed on the east side of campus near the current campus police department. It will house the physical plant and the purchasing department and will provide much-needed space to house Temple College vehicles, including buses and the new Mobile Learning Center.

“We are committed to the people we serve,” Ponce said. “We are doing everything we can to equip our students for their future, whether it is preparing them for high-paying careers or helping them through the next steps to transfer to a four-year university and continue their education.”

“These new state-of-the-art buildings and the space and opportunities they’ll provide for classes and training will help us to better serve our students and community,” she said. “We’re excited about the journey and the future.”