McMurry University Nursing School Sim Lab Renovation in Abilene, TX

The McMurry University Sim Lab renovation in Abilene is complete. The project, filed as the McMurry University Nursing School Sim Lab Renovation, passed its final TDLR accessibility inspection in September 2026. This confirms that the construction work at 2149 Hickory St, in the North College area of Taylor County, has concluded according to state records.

The scope of work involved renovating a large teaching pod and adding new simulation labs. The total estimated cost for this renovation and alteration project was $360,000. The building area involved is 1,949 square feet, resulting in a computed cost of $185 per square foot. These figures place the project above the Taylor County median estimated cost of $300,000 for similar renovation filings, and the $185 per square foot is above the county median of $89.

Ownership and Design

Hendrick Medical Center is the owner of record for this project. The design firm of record is Parkhill (Chip Whitlock) mm. Stephen D Macphie served as the registered accessibility specialist. The project involves public funds, public land, or is a Federally funded roadway project, which triggers specific TDLR registration requirements. The project was registered with TDLR in November 2025, with plan review completed in December 2025.

Construction was scheduled to begin in December 2025, with a completion date listed on the filing as May 2026. The scheduled build window was 137 days, which is longer than the Taylor County median of 109 days for similar projects. Hendrick Medical Center has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $88,643,134, including a $31,500,000 project in Abilene and a $27,300,000 project in the same city. Parkhill (Chip Whitlock) mm has designed six other projects totaling $10,150,000, including a $6,680,000 junior high school in Olney.

The site is located in ZIP code 79601, which has a population of about 26,917 according to U.S. Census ACS 2023 five-year estimates. The median household income in this area is $54,515. Other registered projects in the North College area include the Hendrick Medical Center renovation, the ACU Apartment new construction, and the Hillcrest Church of Christ renovation. The Taylor County unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in July 2026, higher than a year earlier.