Houstonians have witnessed the steady progress of the University of Houston-Downtown’s College of Sciences & Technology Building (off Interstate 10 at North Main and Naylor streets). The newest addition to UHD broke ground last year and on Aug. 14, it reached its apex.

UHD community members and local leaders assembled to celebrate the classroom and research facility’s development during a Topping Out ceremony conducted at the construction site.

Dignitaries attending this event included Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner; Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis; Houston City Council member Mike Knox; Texas Rep. Alma Allen; Harris County Sherriff Ed Gonzalez; Steve Durham, executive vice president and collegiate team leader at Kirksey Architecture; Tom Vaughn, CEO of Vaughn Construction; and University of Houston System Regents Dr. Durga Agrawal and Gerald McElvy.

Before the final beam (signed by the guests in attendance) was hoisted to the top of the building, University of Houston-Downtown President, Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz welcomed distinguished guests and supporters to the event.

“Great universities succeed because of great communities and great partnerships,” he said. “That’s evident in this room today. Today, we’re raising our final beam on this building, and a tree has been symbolically placed on top of this structure. The seeds of success, however, have already been sown in this College and in our students.”

Muñoz added that the building will help prepare students to meet the demands of the STEM workforce in Houston and beyond. With new laboratory spaces, computational classrooms and study areas, students soon will have a new state-of-the-art learning environment.

Mayor Turner agreed that UHD’s College of Sciences & Technology Building marks a turning point for the University and for Houston.

“In this city we’re not just building a city for today; we’re building a city for our future,” Turner said. “In building communities, you must have great facilities. The expansion that is taking place here today helps fulfill the dream of building a complete community in Downtown Houston and the Near Northside.”

UHD’s $73 million College of Sciences & Technology Building will span 115,000 square feet and include the following amenities:

• 14 laboratory spaces for classes in chemistry and molecular life sciences
• 12 laboratories for undergraduate research
• Three computational classrooms
• First-floor commons area for studying and student gatherings
• Expansive multipurpose room
• First-floor lobby
• Full-service café

It is the first building to occupy a 17-acre tract of land purchased by UHD in 2016. Vaughn Construction is overseeing its construction, which is scheduled to continue through 2019. Kirksey Architecture is leading the building's design.