UTMB G20 Grant Submission:Conversion of Animal Room 2.300 to Fumigation Room

The renovation of Galveston National Laboratory Level 2 at 221 9th Street in Galveston, Texas, is complete. This project, filed under the name UTMB G20 Grant Submission:Conversion of Animal Room 2.300 to Fumigation Room, involved a specific alteration of the BSL-4 laboratory environment. The scope included the addition of a new fumigation room and a trench drain. The total estimated cost for this work was $1,500,000.

UTMB is the owner of record for this facility. Perkins&Will served as the design firm, guiding the architectural and engineering aspects of the renovation. Kathy S Rodriguez was the registered accessibility specialist associated with the project filings. The work was classified as a Renovation/Alteration, focusing on a 360 sq ft area of the building. This results in a cost per square foot of $4167, a figure that reflects the specialized nature of the laboratory upgrades.

The project timeline began with registration and plan review in August 2023. Construction was scheduled to start in December 2023, with a planned completion date of February 2024. The final inspection passed in May 2026. TDLR closed the project file in September 2026, which marks the end of the accessibility review process for this construction.

Context and Comparisons

This project’s estimated cost is above the county median for its type, placing it in the top quarter of Galveston County renovation filings. The scheduled build window of 90 days is close to the county median of 120 days. The cost per square foot of $4167 is significantly above the county median of $74, consistent with the high-specification requirements of a BSL-4 laboratory.

UTMB has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $29,364,738, including the large RB6 - Research Building No. 6 project. Perkins&Will has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $133,025,000, ranging from small renovations to major hospital developments. Nearby registered projects include The Meridian and Fairfield by Marriott, both renovation/alteration projects in the Galveston area.