Tech campus receives Montford face-lift

Texas Tech University has seen a huge face-lift the past year due to the efforts of Chancellor John Montford and his master plan.

Some of the improvements to the campus include a new English/Philosophy/Education building, renovations to Jones Stadium and a new United Spirit Arena.

Ground-breaking for the English/Philosophy/Education building began March 16. The 211,000-square-foot complex, which will be located at 18th Street and Elgin Avenue, is the most expensive academic building ever approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board at $42 million in 1998.

The complex will be the first academic building to be constructed at Tech in more than 25 years, according to the university. It will include classrooms, a large lecture hall, offices and lab space. A large landscaped courtyard will connect two buildings.

Jones Stadium will be renovated to include a new concourse and Spanish Renaissance-style facade, the addition of stadium club seating and private luxury seats.

To oversee the renovation of Jones Stadium, Texas Tech has tapped the firm that it credits with solving last year's problems with the United Spirit Arena. Arenaien Kreitzberg has been hired for $400,000 to manage the day-to-day work on the $75 million renovation project.

The company was brought in January 1999 after change orders piled up and the arena project fell behind its timetable.

Many citizens believe that the United Spirit Arena is a grand facility that is an asset both to Texas Tech and to the Lubbock community.