CITY OF SUGAR LAND, UH SYSTEM AT SUGAR
LAND
ANNOUNCE $3.5M LONG-TERM LEASE AGREEMENT
HOUSTON, Jan. 23, 2005 – The Sugar Land 4b Corporation and
City Council have announced a $3.5 million, long-term lease agreement
with the University of Houston System at Sugar Land (UHSSL).
Sugar Land will lease 52 acres from the UH System. A feasibility
study will be conducted jointly between the university system and
the City on a potential research park on the site, which is adjacent
to the campus. Other possible uses include parks, recreation and
community centers; botanical gardens; entertainment facilities;
jogging and biking trails; playgrounds; athletic fields; and related
parking, streets, utilities, drainage and detention areas to serve
constructed facilities.
“I’m extremely proud of the collaborative vision,”
said Sugar Land Mayor David G. Wallace. “Our latest commitment
in this lease of $3.5 million builds on our initial commitment of
$3.5 million (toward the original UHSSL building) and demonstrates
our continued support of this very important educational institution.
With this lease we have found a way to capitalize on mutual objectives,
the end result of which is a further development of the UHSSL campus
faster than otherwise would be possible. At the same time, this
partnership provides greater opportunity for our residents to access
higher education and recreational facilities. ”
The commitment has been earmarked for the “Building Futures
Together Campaign,” which will support the construction of
a new, $30 million academic building at the UHSSL site. The facility
will be shared by the UH System and Wharton County Junior College
(WCJC).
Building Futures Together was launched in May 2005 with a $4 million
gift from the George Foundation. Subsequently, the Fred and Mabel
R. Parks Foundation committed $250,000, and developer Newland Communities
and UH Alumnus Brij Agrawal committed $100,000 each. To date, more
than $650,000 has been raised. Other sources of public and private
funding are being sought.
“Today, we celebrate a historic event for Sugar Land and
for the University of Houston System,” Leroy Hermes
chairman, UH System Board of Regents said. “It is indeed a
good day when a local government and a higher education institution
join forces in an innovative and unique way for the benefit of the
community.”
A total of 66 new classrooms of various sizes are projected for
the new building, as well as a performance hall/auditorium, computer
labs, science laboratories and nursing skills laboratories. The
new classrooms will provide seating for approximately 2,500 students.
The building will also provide faculty offices, a bookstore, weight
rooms, a student lounge, and a food court. The current facility,
the Albert and Mamie George Building, will serve as an instructional
site and as the administrative headquarters for UHSSL and WCJC.
About the University of Houston System at Cinco Ranch and
University of Houston System at Sugar Land
The UH System at Cinco Ranch and UH System at Sugar Land are collaborative
efforts of the four UH System
universities: University of Houston, UH-Clear Lake, UH-Downtown
and UH-Victoria. Students apply to the university that offers the
degree they are seeking and then take courses at either UH System
at Cinco Ranch or UH System at Sugar Land. For more information,
visit www.cincoranch.uh.edu
and www.sugarland.uh.edu.
About the University of Houston System
The University of Houston System is the state’s only metropolitan
higher education system, encompassing four universities and two
multi-institution teaching centers. The universities are the University
of Houston, a nationally recognized doctoral degree-granting, comprehensive
research university; the University of Houston-Downtown, a four-year
undergraduate university beginning limited expansion into graduate
programs; and the University of Houston-Clear Lake and the University
of Houston-Victoria, both upper division and master’s-level
institutions. The centers are the UH System at Sugar Land in Fort
Bend and the UH System at Cinco Ranch. In addition, the UH System
includes KUHF-FM, Houston’s National Public Radio and classical
radio station, and KUHT-TV, the nation’s first educational
television station.
For more information about UH visit the universitys Newsroom
at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.
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