{"id":218233,"date":"2026-03-24T15:48:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T15:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/218233\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T15:48:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T15:48:11","slug":"utep-reveals-arroyo-park-project-the-prospector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/218233\/","title":{"rendered":"UTEP Reveals Arroyo Park Project \u2013 The Prospector"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vice President of Business Affairs Brendan Gallagher, Ph.D., unveiled the University of Texas at El Paso\u2019s (UTEP) plans for a new green space, Arroyo Park, which will replace the now-retired Liberal Arts building.<\/p>\n

The project will be built in two phases, with the first expected to be completed in 2028 while the second phase is expected to be completed in 2031. The design comes from Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, longtime partners of the university who also designed Centennial Plaza.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe architecture will be a similar aesthetic to the rest of the campus. We\u2019ll adopt this similar Bhutanese style,\u201d Gallagher said. \u201cFor our community, it\u2019s going to have a beautiful overlook bridge that\u2019s going to provide a tremendous view of the surrounding area. That bridge will interconnect with our new Texas Western Hall.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with the park, the university union will also undergo renovations to connect it to Texas Western via bridge.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the lifespan for the Liberal Arts building worked its way to a natural conclusion, the question arose of what should take its place,\u201d Gallagher said. \u201cThe arroyo that it was sitting on top of emerged as the leading candidate for what should take its place, which would of course be the restoration of that arroyo.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new Liberal Arts building, Texas Western Hall, came in under budget when construction was completed. Remaining funds will now be redirected toward the Arroyo Park project.<\/p>\n

The university will also receive an heirloom from the family of El Paso artist Tom Lea. The gift, an owl sculpture that once sat in the artist\u2019s backyard, will be installed near the entrance of the overlook bridge and accompanied by a quote from John Burroughs\u2019 book \u201cThe Summit of the Years\u201d: \u201cI go to books and to nature as the bee goes to a flower, for the nectar that I can make into my own honey.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is going to be located right at the entry point for that overlook bridge so everybody that goes along that bridge, as they\u2019re going to and from Texas Western Hall to the Union, will go by that beautiful owl sculpture with the inscription,\u201d Gallagher said.<\/p>\n

Gallagher said the restoration will also include a pavilion for gatherings, terraced lawns and landscaping inspired by the Chihuahuan Desert.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Brendan Gallagher, Ph.D., shares the time frame of the build and how he believes in UTEP long time partners to succeed in this project. (Adriana Quinones Melendez<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Construction will cause some displacement during the project, but Gallagher said communication teams will provide updates to students and faculty both online and on campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cAcross El Paso and beyond, when people hear of UTEP, or they visualize UTEP in their minds, they visualize our beautiful Bhutanese inspired architecture and the Chihuahuan landscaping,\u201d Gallagher said.<\/p>\n

He added that he hopes students and staff will see the park as an enhancement to the university\u2019s campus identity once it is complete.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have every expectation that when students, staff and faculty walk through this for the first time upon completion, that they will find this to be a rich enhancement of that exact aesthetic,\u201d Gallagher said.<\/p>\n

The project was officially announced March 4 during an unveiling event at the gated former Liberal Arts building alongside UTEP President Heather Wilson.<\/p>\n

Vanessa Orozco is a contributor writer at The Prospector and may be reached at [email\u00a0protected]<\/a><\/p>\n

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