The University of Texas' Board of Regents approved plans to develop its 109-acre tract at the J.J. West Pickle Research Campus Nov. 14.

The board approved Houston-based Hines Interests LP as the master developer for the project and plans to use the land for residential, retail and commercial use, said Gary Susswein, director of media relations at UT. The contract with Hines is for 10 years with a possible five-year extension.

The tract, located located at 3925 W. Braker Lane in Northwest Austin, includes the 110,191-square-foot West Pickle Research building, the 10,000-square-foot Imaging Center office and research space as well as a large portion of underdeveloped land.

"This is a multi-year project," Susswein said. "This is really the beginning stages of it. I think in the next few years, we will have a better sense of working with Hines of how that land will be used and what will come there."

Susswein said that no details have been discussed, including the potential cost of development. In 2008, a report conducted by Capitol Market Research stated best uses for the land include commercial, retail, office, multi-family residential units, townhomes and condominiums. Based on the input data in the report, the development costs per net acre are $100,000 for retail and office mixed-use and attached residential uses.

The four-story West Pickle Research Building was built in 1986 and formerly known as the Microelectronic Computer Center Building, according to a document prepared by UT's campus real estate office. The Imaging Center was built in 2005 and is a single-story building. UT departments that occupy the existing buildings include the Austin Technology Incubator, Center for Space Research and the Institute of Classical Archeology. Susswein said existing UT professors and researchers in those buildings could remain there or be relocated.

"We don't know what the future will hold for that building specifically," Susswein said. "It's also possible that the building may give way to other uses for that site, in which cases those offices that are there would be relocated to the Pickle campus or to elsewhere on campus."