East Texas Baptist University, Louise Ornelas University Park Row Houses

Marshall, Texas

Firm

BMA Architects

Client

East Texas Baptist University

Area

28,540 sq.ft.

Total Cost

$3,700,000

Completion Date

08/2018

Design team: Andy Brooher (Architect)

As more students join the Christian scholarly community at East Texas Baptist University (ETBU), the school remains committed to providing a transformative educational experience. With the impact of growing enrollment on residence life, ETBU constructed the Louise Ornelas University Park to replace the dilapidated Van Zandt Apartments, built in the early 1970s.
Offering a modern living-learning community for up to 132 residents, the row houses include furnished bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, a full-size kitchen, a laundry room, and walk-in closets. University Park also includes outdoor recreational parks with a walking trail, a fishing pond, a swimming pool, a basketball court, and sand volleyball courts open to the campus and community.
By investing in University Park Row Houses, ETBU is planting seeds for neighborhood revitalization and economic development within the city of Marshall. The project was constructed by local contractors and tradesmen on a scenic knoll with mature, 50-year-old live oak and red oak trees providing a shade canopy, which supports the university’s commitment to campus forestation and sustainability. In the new housing development, students are immersed and transformed in a caring, Christ-centered environment.