COBA

The University of Texas at El Paso is undertaking a renovation and alteration of the Coba building located at 500 W Unversity in El Paso. The project encompasses 35,000 square feet of interior work with an estimated cost of $2,000,000. This figure places the renovation in the top quarter of similar filings in El Paso County, where the median cost for renovation and alteration projects is $204,000. The scheduled build window extends to 426 days, which is longer than the county median of 120 days for comparable work types.

Project Scope and Design

Exigo Architects serves as the design firm of record for this project. The scope of work is listed specifically as renovation, involving the modification of existing structures rather than new ground-up construction. The cost per square foot is computed at $57, a figure that remains close to the El Paso County median of $66 per square foot for similar filings. The project is registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, ensuring compliance with state accessibility standards.

Julie Ericson Gereda is the registered accessibility specialist assigned to the project. The filing indicates that the work involves public funds and public land, consistent with the owner’s status as a state university. Construction is scheduled to begin in October 2026, following the initial registration in September 2026. The completion date listed on the filing is December 2027, meaning the project is targeted for December 2027. Plan review is pending as the project moves through the regulatory process.

Context Within UTEP Portfolio

The University of Texas at El Paso has six other TDLR-registered projects totaling $82,185,000. These include the Miner Crossing development, valued at $79,500,000, and the UTEP East Student Union renovation, estimated at $300,000. Other projects in the portfolio include the Physical Science Building and the PT-OT Educational Facility, both valued at $250,000 and $2,000,000 respectively. Exigo Architects also has six other registered projects in the region, including the Fire Station No. 28 project valued at $106,500,000. The Coba renovation fits within a broader pattern of institutional development in El Paso County, where the unemployment rate stood at 4.8 percent in July 2026.