(WACO, Texas) – Texas State Technical College administrators and faculty members ceremonially broke ground on Thursday, Feb. 29, for the new home to five technical programs at the Waco campus.
The CCAP (Capital Construction Assistance Project) building will accommodate the Building Construction Technology, Electrical Construction, HVAC Technology, Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology and Solar Energy Technology programs when it opens in spring 2026. The building will be about 126,000 square feet in size, according to TSTC construction information.
“The design reflects our commitment to adaptability, ensuring that we can keep pace with the ever-changing landscape of industry demands,” said Beth Wooten, provost of TSTC’s Waco campus. “With cutting-edge labs equipped with industry-relevant equipment, our students will flourish with the hands-on, immersive learning experience that TSTC is known for.”
Wooten said the building will be a beacon of innovation and growth.
“We embark on a journey that not only will shape the future of our campus, but also the future of our students, of TSTC, the Texas workforce and, most significantly, our region’s workforce,” she said.
Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, represents state Senate District 22 and also spoke at the ceremony. He thanked the contractors that will work in a variety of weather conditions to construct the building.
“The same people you build for will be the same people you recruit,” he said.
Mike Reeser, TSTC’s chancellor and chief executive officer, said the faculty and staff members working with students in the programs deserve the new structure. He said TSTC enrolled one-third of the state’s construction trade students between 2014 and 2022, according to information from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
“They (instructors) turn students into extraordinary technicians that Texas employers stand in line to hire,” Reeser said.
The HVAC Technology program is currently in its own building, while the other four programs are spread among small buildings.
“I look forward to the modernization and technology that is going to allow us to bring to the future students ways to prepare them for the growing plumbing field,” said Tony Montoya, a TSTC Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology instructor.
The land where the new building will be once had duplexes and houses dating back to the days of Connally Air Force Base. That housing was later used for TSTC students, but has since been torn down and cleared out with state financing.
PBK Architects designed the new building, and Rogers-O’Brien Construction will be the construction contractor.
For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.
