TJC South Campus in Rusk, TX

Renovation work at Tyler Junior College South Campus in Rusk is registered with TDLR, with construction targeted for August 2027. The project involves altering an existing 6,558.09 square foot building and adding 318.43 square feet of new space, resulting in a total built area of 6,876.52 square feet. The filing lists the project name as TJC South Campus and identifies the address as 173 S Henderson St, Rusk, TX 75785.

The scope of work includes approximately 35,000 square feet of new site improvements. These updates cover parking, sidewalks, accessible routes, utilities, and exterior patio improvements. The estimated cost for this renovation and alteration is $4,500,000. At a total of 6,877 square feet, the estimated cost per square foot is $654. The project was registered in July 2026, and plan review is pending. The scheduled build window is 365 days, which is longer than the county median of 153 days for similar renovation filings.

Project Details and Context

Tyler Junior College is the owner of record for this project. Fitzpatrick Architects serves as the design firm of record. Ronald L Davis is the registered accessibility specialist associated with the filing. The project is privately funded on private land for private use. The estimated cost is above the county median of $320,000 for renovation and alteration projects in Cherokee County. The $654 per square foot estimate is also above the county median of $100 per square foot for this project type.

Tyler Junior College has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $12,252,500. These include the Skilled Trades Center and Energy Center in Tyler, valued at $5,000,000, and the Skills Training Center in Tyler, valued at $6,250,000. Both of those projects have completed review. The design firm, Fitzpatrick Architects, has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $6,040,000. These include the UT Health East Texas Heart and Vascular Institute in Tyler, valued at $800,000, and the Camp V Chapel in Tyler, valued at $2,000,000.

The Rusk area, identified by ZIP code 75785, has a population of about 10,769 according to U.S. Census ACS 2023 five-year estimates. The median household income in this area is $64,672. The median owner-occupied home value is $158,800, and housing is predominantly owner-occupied. The Cherokee County unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in July 2026, which is higher than a year earlier. This project is part of a broader pattern of institutional development in the region, with specific focus on accessibility and site improvements at the Rusk campus location.