Expansion
Honors Hall, one of two UNT residence halls that opened in 2007, provides members of the Honors College with a learning community devoted to intellectual pursuit. It was one of four new living-learning communities started in 2007. Students also have the opportunity to learn from musicians, writers and other scholars living in the hall’s furnished Scholars Apartment.
The University of North Texas campus is designed to offer the best research and learning facilities for the entire University community.
228,621
UNT added 228,621 newly constructed square feet in fiscal year 2007.
The newest facilities provide engaging learning and living environments that promote a sense of belonging so students are more likely to continue their studies at UNT. Learning communities for Honors College students and jazz, art and biology majors opened in 2007, and more are planned next fall. Innovative new buildings also provide the services, classrooms and research facilities necessary for student success. As a responsible steward of state resources, UNT constructs all buildings with a commitment to lasting quality at the best possible price.
Future Buildings
Work begins this spring and summer on two new buildings. The Life Sciences Building (rendering left) will feature open research laboratories to promote interdisciplinary and collaborative research among faculty and their students, as well as state-of-the-art facilities for instruction on campus. The building, slated to open in 2009, will include spaces for focused study and casual interaction. The $60 million Business Leadership Complex will keep students in step with the global economy. The facility’s cutting-edge technology and flexible classroom spaces will enhance UNT’s outstanding programs and support the exchange of ideas among students, faculty and business leaders.
Discovery Park
UNT’s Discovery Park (left), a 285-acre research park about 4 miles north of campus, is home to the University’s College of Engineering and includes state-of-the-art laboratories and plans for business incubators for easy technology transfer. Discovery Park also houses the Center for Advanced Research and Technology, one of the nation’s premier materials science and engineering research facilities. The center received $15.7 million in defense funding during the last four years for its research. CART provides researchers with access to a unique grouping of high-powered microscopes and some of the most sophisticated tools for exploring nanotechnology and other critical fields for advancement.
Chestnut Hall
With the opening of Chestnut Hall (left) in 2007, UNT students may now get medical care, fill prescriptions, apply for student jobs and get advice on how to manage their money all under one roof in an innovative building supported by donors and designed to meet student life needs. In addition to providing award-winning health and wellness services, the building houses UNT’s Career Center, Counseling and Testing Services, the Wellness Resource and Substance Abuse Resource Center, and the award-winning Student Money Management Center.
The Murchison
Plans are under way to celebrate 10 years of pitch perfect performances by UNT’s College of Music in the Murchison Performing Arts Center. Designed with world-class acoustics by Chris Jaffe, the center features the 1,000-seat Margot and Bill Winspear Performance Hall and the 400-seat Lyric Theater for opera performances. The $1.5 million Richard Ardoin-Paul Voertman concert organ (shown under construction left) will formally be inaugurated in fall 2008 during the anniversary celebration. The festivities also will feature a performance of Saul, the next in a series of Handel collaborations between UNT’s flourishing early music program and Dallas Opera music director Graeme Jenkins.
New Plaza and Promenade
In 2007, students enjoyed new fountains and other water features in the renovated Library Mall area, designed and built with donations given by alumni specifically to provide a tranquil place for students, faculty and staff. The university formally dedicated Jody’s Fountain and Onstead Plaza and Promenade in April, funded by alumnus Charles Onstead and his sister-in-law Kay Onstead. The renovations also include a waterfall feature funded by the late Louise Evans, alumna and former UNT librarian.
Pohl Recreation Center
Students may unwind and concentrate on their health and fitness in UNT’s award-winning, state-of-the-art Pohl Recreation Center, which features a 14,500-square-foot weight room, two pools, a climbing wall, two aerobics rooms, a 1/8-mile indoor track and indoor soccer and basketball courts as well as meeting rooms. Kyle Holmes, a 1995 TAMS graduate and engineer for Brandt Engineering Co., directed the installation of the facility’s plumbing and air conditioning and heating units. The facility has been highlighted in Recreation Management magazine for innovative architecture and design and was recognized as an Outstanding Indoor/Outdoor Facility by the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association.