The details
The project will be completed “far below” the $25 million budget and ahead of schedule, said Dan Cook, The University of Texas' executive director of planning, design and construction.
Cook said the demolition crews are also on track to meet their goal of recycling 80% of materials from the Erwin Center. Crews still need to clear some pieces of concrete retaining walls and parking structures, which is expected to wrap up by September.
“It was very methodical, and it was also quite spectacular,” Cook said. “It was every bit as exciting as anything that would have been explosive probably but just done in a much safer and controlled way.”
A video of the demolition is available here.
What’s next
The Erwin Center’s demolition cleared the way for a new medical care system called The University of Texas at Austin Medical Center.
The medical center will feature two towers: a specialty care clinic and another branch of Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Construction on the new facilities will break ground in 2026, with UT aiming to accept patients by 2030, Cook said.
“We’re looking forward to the future,” Cook said. “We've seen that Austin has been growing, and the partnership between the university and the MD Anderson Cancer Center presents itself as a really special opportunity to create what we're referring to as a joint Medical Center that will provide world-class health care to the community.”
