The Life Science Building began renovations in December 2023. The renovation is a multiyear project to refurbish and expand the facility and is expected to be finished in fall 2027.
With the fall semester underway, the university is working on construction projects to update classrooms, labs and other campus spaces.
Don Lange, facilities and campus operations assistant vice president, said the university’s goal is to ensure its buildings are designed to support research, student success and academic needs.
“Just staying stagnant doesn’t grow our ability to do better and make better,” Lange said.
UTA has several construction projects underway.
Life Science Building
Construction on the Life Science Building began in 2023 with the intent to expand and renovate the existing facility. Lange said the building is scheduled to open in December 2027 for classes to begin in 2028.
According to The UT System’s fiscal year 2025-2030 Capital Improvement Program budget, the cost of the project is about $182.87 million.
Lange said the renovation includes two new classroom types. One will feature a round setup with only six to eight rows, with space for the instructor in the center for more personal interaction with students. The other is a multifunction room that is elevated with fixed seating and tables.
The project will also include several research and teaching labs, mechanical and electrical upgrades, plumbing improvements and several code-compliance updates.
One of the unique additions is a fermentation lab in the north section of the building where students will be able to brew beer, Lange said.
The University Center will undergo a renovation to meet the growing student demand for additional space. Construction is expected to be completed by fall 2028.
UTA West
The new building will be a new 51.1-acre campus in western Fort Worth, according to previous Shorthorn reporting, and is still in the design stage.
Lange said infrastructure work will start in December, while construction on the first building is expected to start in February 2026.
The project is expected to finish by spring 2028, in time for fall classes.
University Center
The University Center is also in the design stage for major construction and renovation. Lange said the building has undergone several renovations in the past and has multiple inefficient spaces.
The UT System’s fiscal year 2025–2030 Capital Improvement Program budget lists the project cost at $175 million.
The project aims to create a more efficient building with more usable square footage, updated equipment and energy-saving systems.
Construction timelines are not yet finalized, but the project was approved in 2024 and is expected to finish by mid-2028, according to previous Shorthorn reporting.
The UTA West campus land is labeled with signs April 6 in west Fort Worth.
Maverick drone facility
The Maverick Autonomous Vehicle Research Center at the University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute in Fort Worth, a $2.3 million project, according to previous Shorthorn reporting, is set to open during the fall semester.
Construction began in spring 2025 and is now complete, with a grand opening set for Sept. 16.
Because the 120-by-150-foot structure is fully enclosed with nets, it counts as “indoors” under Federal Aviation Administration rules, so large-scale autonomous flights can be done without a certified pilot for each drone.
Principal research scientist Nicholas Gans said the motivation behind the project was to give students and faculty a safe environment for researching the use of drones.
The facility has a motion capture camera system that can track drones, vehicles or people with high accuracy.
Gans said the project strengthens UTA’s ability to win major research grants from agencies such as NASA and the Department of Defense. It will also allow collaboration with local businesses.
“There’s no other university that has a facility like this,” he said.
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