The Texas Tech University System Board of Directors voted 8-0 to spend $6.3 million to design the proposed Clinical Sciences Building on the Texas Tech Health campus in El Paso at its quarterly meeting Aug. 8-9 at the system’s headquarters in Lubbock.

The proposed five-story, 350,000-square-foot building is to be constructed at the north end of campus near Interstate 10. Two-thirds of the building will be dedicated to clinical sciences and will cost an estimated $186 million. The remainder will house the Steve and Nancy Fox Cancer Center. The second phase of design began in June 2023.

Billy Breedlove, vice chancellor for facilities planning and construction, pointed out that the clinical services center and the cancer center are being pursued as two separate projects with two separate funding sources. The regents’ recent decision only affected the clinical sciences side. Regent Cody Campbell was not present.

As planned, the clinical sciences would be located at the south end of the building. Each center would have its own entrance.

The expenditure will be used for services such as design development, construction documents and management, cost estimating, and to enable planning of the clinical sciences to keep pace with the cancer center. Both centers will be built simultaneously.

Richard Lange, president of TTHEP, said the regents’ support is an important step in the university’s mission to provide world-class cancer care to the Borderplex.

“This will allow us to advance our plans to build a future where every patient receives the highest level of compassionate and comprehensive care possible, close to home,” Lange said. “We look forward to breaking ground here at Texas Tech Health El Paso soon.”

Breedlove, whose presentation included a conceptual site plan and a section view of the building, said the new building would serve the function of three existing buildings and be more economical. He added that TTHEP’s existing clinical sciences space, about 15,000 square feet, is located on the University Medical Center of El Paso site and has served the community for about 40 years, serving about 1,200 patients daily and operating at full capacity.

The new building will continue to house existing clinics such as the breast center, surgery, neurology, pediatrics, ophthalmology, internal medicine, gynecology and obstetrics, orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation, as well as several specializations.

“We’ve had our meetings and involved all the clinicians in this, so their input is very valuable to our design team,” said Breedlove, who added that his people are collaborating on the project with HDR, one of the largest medical design teams in the country.

The two centers will include examination and treatment spaces to support the clinical practice of the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, such as nurses’ stations, laboratory space, medication storage, clinical supply rooms and waiting areas.

The conceptual design called for a parking lot with about 1,000 spaces, but Breedlove said planners could propose building the first level of a parking garage. He mentioned that his team wanted to assess potential needs and offer options for the next 20 years, which may require the acquisition of additional land nearby.

The funds approved on August 8, as well as the previously approved $2.3 million, will be provided through the Revenue Finance System and repaid with appropriations from the Legislature for Capital Construction Assistance Projects, as well as gifts and institutional funds.

Breedlove said the project’s challenges include the different funding sources for separate projects that are part of the same building.

Dustin R. Womble, chairman of the Building Committee, asked how this type of combined project could lead to cost-allocation conflicts in the future. Breedlove said the system has to work hard to ensure costs are properly allocated.

Another challenge will be how to deal with existing rail operations on the tracks south of the proposed construction site. Breedlove said Lange wants to create a “quiet zone” in the area where trains blow their whistles long and loudly every day.

A TTHEP spokesman said Lange is in preliminary discussions with several transit agencies to explore options. Breedlove said an initial concept is a tunnel that would allow vehicles and pedestrians to travel under the track area, and hinted that this could mean purchasing additional land.

Board Chairman Mark Griffin had asked Lange earlier in the meeting whether additional land would be needed for this project.

“We are in the final phase of completion,” said Lange.

When the Regents’ asked for a timeline for the project, Breedlove said he hoped to have design packages and land and utility packages in November, some foundation packages in February and a guaranteed maximum price by May. He said all funds for the project must be allocated by June 2025. He said the land is basically free and construction should take no longer than three years.

The Regents approved the Clinical Sciences Building’s initial concept in November 2023. They awarded just over $2 million for early design services, including cost estimates and a project schedule. In May, the Regents approved spending of $307,000 for the project’s preparatory activities, such as site analysis and constructability review, and designs for the cancer clinic.