A&M–Central Texas Dedicates CORE Building in Honor of First President
By Demetra Paizanis,
Enrollment Marketing and Communications Manager –
Texas A&M University System Executive Vice Chancellor Tracy Foster addressed the crowd during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Marc Nigliazzo CORE Building.
Texas A&M University–Central Texas held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 7 to dedicate the Marc Nigliazzo Centralized Operational Reliability and Efficiency (CORE) Building.
Nigliazzo, the university’s first president, led A&M–Central Texas for 13 years and recommended the project to the regents and state legislators to provide the infrastructure needed for the campus to expand beyond its first three buildings.
The CORE Building’s utility network supplies the campus with chilled water for cooling, electricity and fiber-optic data connections. The infrastructure is designed to support up to 1 million square feet of campus building space, providing capacity to connect additional buildings as the campus grows.
“When you think about what the heart does, it pumps blood throughout the body to keep us alive. The CORE Building does the same thing with energy, keeping our buildings functional,” said A&M–Central Texas President Richard M. Rhodes.
Alongside its utility systems, CORE houses staff who maintain campus buildings, with offices and space for receiving and storing deliveries. It also includes an emergency operations center for coordinating campus responses.
Vice President for Finance and Administration Todd Lutz said the CORE Building will be an integral part of campus operations in the future.
“The CORE Building can improve the university’s day-to-day efficiency and help us support our students and staff. It provides a cost-effective way to operate the campus by centralizing our utilities, along with our safety and security operations through the police department,” Lutz said.
For university police, the new facility provides dedicated space for dispatch, criminal investigations, secure evidence storage and training, bringing together operations previously spread throughout Founders Hall.
“It also gives us an opportunity to open our doors and provide a safe space for students after hours. We want our students to feel welcome, including those who need a place to use Wi-Fi,” said Andrew Flores, chief of police and director of public safety.
The 34,369-square-foot facility sits near the west entrance to campus. The project had an approved budget of $49.9 million, with a funding plan combining state-authorized construction financing with support from the Permanent University Fund. The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents approved naming the building after Dr. Marc Nigliazzo on Sept. 3.
Texas A&M University System Executive Vice Chancellor Tracy Foster and state Rep. Brad Buckley were on hand to celebrate the ribbon cutting. Both offered support for the university as it continues to grow. The new building and utility structure are a key component for the university’s master plan that includes upcoming additional construction and expansion.
“I look forward to being on campus again soon and seeing how this facility is supporting continued growth,” Foster said. “Because I know we are going far and we have a big, bold vision.”
