The former Bookbee, located at 2168 E. Jackson St. in Brownsville, will be used to place 12 faculty offices and the UTRGV Counseling and Training Clinic./Ana Cahuiche/The Rider
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley continues to expand with the planned purchase of the P&P Plaza in Brownsville.
Mark Saenz, UTRGV’s chief real estate and space planning officer, said the purchase of the plaza is under contract.
The plaza is located at 2395 W. University Blvd., next to the former Burger King restaurant.
Other recent or planned purchases include the BookBee building, located at 2168 E. Jackson St., the Armory Complex, located at 340 Porter Dr., and the former Burger King restaurant located across the street from the Casa Bella student housing complex.
Saenz said it has still not been determined how the university will use the plaza.
“We don’t know at this point,” he said. “We are going to evaluate the needs of the campus, and then, the administration will decide what departments will be lodged in the space.”
On June 15, UTRGV bought the BookBee building for $515,000. It will house 12 faculty offices and the Counseling and Training Clinic from College of Education and P-16 Integration’s Counseling and Guidance Department.
“The owner of the property [Melissa Avalos] contacted the university, expressing an interest in selling the property to the [university],” Saenz said.
For 16 years, the building served as a college bookstore.
Saenz said the UTRGV faculty offices will include the History and Biology departments.
“Right now, space is a necessity and we are addressing that. So, when those buildings are completed, I think everybody will feel the benefits of them,” said Patrick Gonzales, associate vice president for University Marketing and Communications. “It also provides our students with more opportunities.”
UTRGV is planning on buying similar facilities near other parts of the Brownsville campus, Saenz said.
On Nov. 6 of last year, UTRGV bought the Burger King building, located at 2701 E. Tyler St., near the Brownsville campus. The university bought it from Tejon Properties for $1.1 million, Saenz said.
By expanding both university campuses, UTRGV will grow not only in buildings but also more academic programs will be offered, Gonzales said.
“Expansion is not only brick and mortar, but also academically,” Gonzales said. “We are now offering more academic programs at each of our main campuses. … Programs that hadn’t been available on some campuses are now available. That type of expansion is exciting, too.”
Twenty new programs are offered on the Brownsville campus, which include a bachelor of arts in Mexican American Studies, a master’s of science in manufacturing engineering and a minor in medical humanities.
In Edinburg, five new programs are available, which include a bachelor of business administration in materials management and logistics, a bachelor’s of science in marine biology and a master’s of science in physics.
