The Texas A&M University System has broken ground on the US $546m multi-purpose, multi-phase development, Innovation Plaza project. Complementing the academic, research, discovery and innovation missions of the EnMed Building, Texas A&M Innovation Plaza will provide a welcoming, secure and vibrant experience to the campus population and visitors alike, with generous green spaces and lifestyle amenities not commonly found in the TMC area.
The System’s public-private partnership (P3) developer is bringing additional investment to fulfill unmet needs in the area with two complementary towers totaling an additional 1.9 million square feet.
Innovation Plaza project
Scheduled for completion in June 2022, Life Tower is a 19-story, 714-bed student housing tower will overlook a scenic plaza flanked by a large garage with retail and dining at grade with convenient, affordable parking for 2,714 vehicles. Texas A&M medical students and Prairie View A&M University nursing students will be given priority for housing, but students from other institutions could fill open slots, if available.
Scheduled for completion in January 2024 is Horizon Tower, a 17-story, 485,000 square-foot integrated building that will be built atop the 13-story parking structure. With generous, efficient floorplates and robust building technologies, Horizon Tower will be ideally suited to life sciences, clinical, biomedical, technology and office uses.
Also Read: Plans approved for US $1.8bn Inpatient hospital in Ohio, US
According to Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp, EnMed is just the first example of innovation that Texas A&M System intends to bring to the Texas A&M Innovation Plaza. “We are excited to have such a visible location in the Texas Medical Center,” he said.
The developer for the P3 projects is Medistar Corporation, a long-time Houston-based developer. Infrastructure investment firm American Triple I Partners, founded by Texas A&M alum Henry Cisneros, is part of the financing team.
