Tyler Junior College West Campus Welding Expansion and Simulator

The Skills Training Center at Tyler Junior College West Campus is a 24,800 sq ft renovation and alteration project located at 1530 S SW Loop 323 in Tyler, Texas. The filing, registered with TDLR in September 2025, identifies the work as the Tyler Junior College West Campus Welding Expansion and Simulator. The project involves an estimated cost of $6,250,000, which equates to $252 per square foot.

Scope of work includes a ~23,000 sq ft renovation for welding labs, classroom spaces, and faculty areas, along with a new ~1,800 sq ft simulator building designed for HVAC installation training. LPA, Inc. is the design firm of record, and Ross A Thomas is the registered accessibility specialist.

TDLR completed plan review in September 2025, and construction was scheduled to begin in October 2025 with a completion date of September 2026. However, TDLR has not yet recorded a final inspection, so the current state of the site is not confirmed in the public record. The TDLR status is listed as Review Complete.

Project Context and Comparisons

This project’s estimated cost is above the Smith County median for renovation/alteration filings, which is $275,000. The scheduled build window of 354 days is longer than the county median of 102 days. Tyler Junior College has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $10,502,500, including the Skilled Trades Center and the School of Nursing. LPA, Inc. has designed six other projects totaling $112,941,779, including schools in Blanco and New Braunfels.

According to U.S. Census ACS 2023 estimates for ZIP 75701, the area has a population of about 35,804 and a median household income of $62,091. The Smith County unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in July 2026. Nearby businesses include Peltier Nissan, Byrider Tyler, and Mr. Appliance of East Texas. A TJC web page describes the Skills Training Center as home to the College’s automotive technology and welding technology departments.