# Stories to follow in 2019: UH System to open Katy campus in fall
The latest: Construction is ongoing, and the campus will open on time in the fall, said Jay Neal, associate vice president and chief operating officer for University of Houston-Sugar Land and UH-Katy. The university expects to construct additional buildings on the 46-acre campus as needed. Additionally, Houston Community College purchased land immediately north of the UH-Katy campus at 228 Colonial Parkway, Katy, to relocate and expand its own Katy campus. HCC will offer freshman- and sophomore-level courses and associate’s degrees that will directly transfer to UH Katy.
Already expanding
The University of Houston System is asking the legislature for an additional $75 million to construct a second 150,000-square-foot facility at the site of its Katy campus, where crews are already working round-the-clock.
An 80,000-square-foot campus is set to open in Katy on 46 acres of land near the intersection of Interstate-10 and the Grand Parkway this fall, but now UH wants to expand that by adding an additional facility, said Chris Stipes, UH director of media relations.
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University of Houston System to welcome students at new Katy campus this August
Students enrolled at UH-Katy will start classes Aug. 19, said Marisa Ramirez, University of Houston-Sugar Land senior director of university communications. Meanwhile those enrolled at UH-Victoria at Katy will start Aug. 26, according to a UH-Victoria press release.
UH-Katy and UH-Victoria at Katy will only offer junior-, senior- and graduate-level classes. UH-Katy will house engineering and nursing departments, while UH-Victoria at Katy will offer degrees from the school of arts and sciences, the school of business administration as well as the school of education, health professions and human development.
Houston Community College, which purchased property immediately north of the UH-Katy campus at 228 Colonial Parkway, Katy, is expected to offer freshman- and sophomore-level courses to students who can transfer to UH-Katy and UH-Victoria at Katy. HCC is located at 550 Foxlake Drive, Katy, and plans to relocate the campus to 228 Colonial Parkway by mid-2021.
Both UH-Katy and UH-Victoria at Katy—which has been operating at 2002 W. Grand Parkway N., Bldg. 2, Katy, since fall 2016—will be housed at the new campus. UH-Katy will have about 200 enrolled students in the first semester, Neal said. Meanwhile, UH-Victoria at Katy will have about 1,000 students enrolled, said Karla DeCuir, the senior director of enrollment management and external affairs at UH-Victoria at Katy.
The first floor of the building, located at 22400 Grand Circle Blvd., Katy, includes a student lounge, a virtual library with computers, some classrooms and studio spaces, Neal said. Additionally, an informational office, security and a technology help desk will have space on the first floor. In addition to a self-serve convenience store, there will also be a multipurpose room that can hold about 120 students or be spit into two classrooms.
One wing of the second floor has classrooms, while the other wing houses UH-V at Katy offices. Where the wings meet, there is a common area in a loft style above the main entrance and student lounge area.
The third floor includes UH-Katy nursing and engineering department offices on one wing. The other wing includes mock hospital rooms and other nursing-specific learning spaces for students earning their Bachelor of Science in nursing. When the wings meet, there is additional seating as well as access to a patio with views of Katy Asian town, San Remo Apartments and the future new home of Houston Community College-Katy.
Over the next few weeks, construction crews will install concrete, a 400-space parking lot and landscaping, Neal said. There will be several green spaces for students to relax and study outside, too.
UH-Katy and UH-Victoria at Katy will only offer junior-, senior- and graduate-level classes. UH-Katy will host engineering and nursing departments, while UH-Victoria at Katy will offer degrees from the school of arts and sciences, the school of business administration as well as the school of education, health professions and human development.
The 80,000 square foot building will have three stories. Located near Interstate 10 and the Grand Parkway, it was funded by the UH System with $46.8 million in construction bonds approved in 2015 by the Texas legislature. UHV Katy has been offering programs at a building in the 2000 block of West Grand Parkway since fall 2016.
“UHV Katy’s move is an exciting development for the university. This new site will be home to many of UHV’s most popular transfer and graduate programs in order to offer students the chance to earn degrees close to home at an affordable price,” said UHV President Bob Glenn.
The UH system purchased 40 acres for the building site in a fast-growing part of Katy, meaning there will be ample room for additional construction projects. Houston Community College also bought land nearby for a new building, officials said.
Along with studios and multiple classrooms, the first floor will feature a lobby, a convenience store and a virtual library. The second floor will house classrooms, labs and office spaces, University officials wanted to make sure the new design featured plenty of study alcoves for students, complete with power outlets for laptops and other electronic devices.
The third floor will feature more labs and classrooms, along with an outdoor patio space.
A look back: The University of Houston and the University of Houston-Victoria officially opened the Katy Academic Building with a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting.