(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Construction of Texas State Technical College’s three newest facilities at the Harlingen campus is on schedule.
The building projects include a nearly 84,000-square-foot technology facility for the Automotive Technology and Diesel Equipment Technology programs, a 7,000-square-foot building for the Electrical Lineworker and Management Technology program, and renovation of an existing building that will house the Biomedical Equipment Technology, Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology and Wind Energy Technology programs in a 34,000-square-foot space.
Mauricio Gomez, TSTC’s construction project manager for campus expansion planning and construction, said all three facilities should be completed by July 2025 in time for fall classes.
TSTC was allocated funding for the three projects through Capital Construction Assistance Projects under Senate Bill 52 during the 87th Texas Legislative Session in 2021. The project cost for the three facilities is $41 million for the new technology building, $7.5 million for the Electrical Lineworker and Management Technology building, and $15.3 million for renovation of the third building.
Energy Architecture, a Houston-based firm specializing in technical building designs, was selected as lead architect to complete the design stages of all three projects.
Here is a look at each program’s space:
— Biomedical Equipment Technology will have lab spaces assigned to advanced electronics, soldering, and medical device repair, as well as spaces for mock patient care, instructional staff offices and two virtual reality rooms.
— Diesel Equipment Technology will have seven bays and transmission and engine labs, while Automotive Technology will have 21 bays with four instructional lab areas. Common areas include two computer labs, instructional staff offices, a classroom and a virtual reality room.
— Electrical Lineworker and Management Technology will include five instructional labs, a computer lab, instructional staff offices and a virtual reality room. The building’s exterior will include about 5,000 square feet of practice area for students.
— Plumbing and Pipefitting Technology will have commercial and residential trainer spaces, a wet lab, a hydro loop and pipe threading lab, a hot lab, a commercial water heater room and instructional staff offices.
— Wind Energy Technology will include two new fiberglass labs.
To learn more about TSTC, visit tstc.edu.