Projects estimated to create over 3,000 jobs, stimulate local economies
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Higher Education Department announced Monday that it is recommending funding for 42 capital improvement, renovation, infrastructure, and demolition projects across 27 public and tribal college and university campuses, three special schools and the UNM Health Sciences Center totaling $307.5 million.
Higher Education Department officials presented the recommendation before the Legislative Finance Committee on Friday for consideration following an extensive review process by the Higher Education Capital Outlay Committee. Projects selected for recommendation demonstrate capacity to contribute to a high-quality educational environment, address major health and safety issues, renovate existing facilities, and improve building energy efficiency. Recommended projects demonstrate support of key metrics, including an emphasis on student enrollment and retention, workforce needs, asset stewardship, energy efficiency and sustainability.
“Capital outlay funding is critical for supporting facilities and infrastructure throughout the state. The Higher Education Department’s funding recommendation supports our continued commitment to providing state of the art facilities, safe learning environments and improved campus infrastructure for the students and residents of New Mexico. I’m proud to be part of the process which supports construction jobs in the short term and creates learning environments and infrastructure to support higher education in New Mexico today and into the future,” said Higher Education Acting Deputy Secretary and Capital Outlay Director Gerald Hoehne.
Of the recommended projects, 33 totaling $229.4 million will go before the legislature this upcoming session for approval and then on to voters to approve funding via next year’s general obligation (GO) bond election. The agency also recommends funding for 14 additional projects totaling $66.1 million via state general funds and four demolition projects totaling $11.9 million for consideration during the legislative session.
Since 2019, New Mexico has invested $368.9 million in state funds for higher education facilities statewide, creating an estimated 3,700 jobs and stimulating local economies. Voters also overwhelmingly approved a $215.9 million investment in higher education campus construction and infrastructure projects via statewide bond election last November. Local bond elections are on the ballot this year for Central New Mexico Community College and Santa Fe Community College to fund technology and campus improvements. Projects funded through bond elections are supported by the sale of severance tax bonds and local property taxes. Passage of these bonds does not increase taxes.
The New Mexico Higher Education Department’s Capital Outlay Committee also hosted five regional hearings this August to review proposed funding requests from the state’s 32 public and Tribal colleges, universities and special schools. Department officials visited campus facilities at Eastern New Mexico University – Roswell, Southeast New Mexico College, Eastern New Mexico University, the University of New Mexico Valencia Campus, Santa Fe Community College, and the Institute of American Indian Arts during this summer’s tours.
The New Mexico Higher Education Department recommends the following capital outlay projects for funding in FY25:
Central New Mexico Community College
- $11M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip advanced technology facilities at Central New Mexico Community College’s Rio Rancho campus.
- $6 million to plan, design, renovate and improve critical health and safety infrastructure.
Clovis Community College
- $1.9M to plan, design, construct, renovate and equip improvements to the cosmetology and classroom south building, including improvements to the northwest parking lot.
Diné College
- $1M to plan, design and construct phase I of the science wet lab facility at the south campus in Shiprock.
Eastern New Mexico University
- $12M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip a new student academic services building.
- $5M to plan, design and construct phase one of the agriculture science and art annex building.
Eastern New Mexico University – Roswell
- $5.3M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip an addition to the Aircraft Maintenance Technology building.
- $2M to plan, design, construct, renovate and equip the Health Sciences Center.
Eastern New Mexico University – Ruidoso
- $3M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip a workforce training facility, including demolition.
Institute of American Indian Arts
- $488,000 to plan, design, construct and equip improvements and upgrades to Loop Road and emergency evacuation routes.
Luna Community College
- $2M to plan, design, construct, renovate and equip the Technologies Building.
Navajo Technical University
- $1M to plan, design and construct phase one of the education building.
- $950,000 to plan, design, abate and demolish facilities.
New Mexico Highlands University
- $4.3M to plan, design, construct and equip improvements to the Ivan Hilton Science building.
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech)
- $8.4M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip the phase two addition to Kelly Hall.
New Mexico Junior College
- $8M to plan, design, construct, renovate and equip Mansur Hall.
New Mexico Military Institute
- $950,000 to plan, design, construct and equip improvements campuswide.
New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
- $4.8M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip an early childhood programs facility at the Albuquerque campus.
New Mexico School for the Deaf
- $3M to plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip an addition to the preschool facility in Albuquerque, including renovations to the existing facility.
New Mexico State University - Alamogordo
- $5M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip a new classroom facility.
- $1.5M to plan, design, construct furnish and equip renovations to the Rohovec Center.
- $1.1M to plan, design, abate and demolish facilities.
New Mexico State University – Doña Ana
- $1.5M to plan, design, construct and equip improvements and upgrades to Loop Road and emergency evacuation routes at the Gadsden Center in Anthony.
- $500,000 to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip a creative media building.
New Mexico State University – Grants
- $3M to plan, design, renovate and construct improvements to Martinez Hall.
New Mexico State University
- $20M to plan, design, construct, renovate and equip critical infrastructure improvements campuswide, including steam and electrical.
- $15M to plan, design, construct and renovate improvements to agricultural science and experiment stations statewide.
- $5M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip a college of engineering facility.
- $4.7M to plan, design, abate and demolish Cole Village.
Northern New Mexico College
- $5M to plan, design, construct and renovate improvements to vocational education and art annex buildings at the Española campus.
San Juan College
- $3.2M to plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip improvements to mechanical systems campuswide in including replacement of boilers.
Santa Fe Community College
- $5.7M to plan, design, construct and renovate improvements to the main building to create a centralized student hub.
- $1M to plan, design, construct and equip infrastructure improvements.
Southeast New Mexico College
- $5M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip a new trades and technologies facility.
University of New Mexico
- $60.5M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip phase one of the humanities and social sciences complex.
- $5.1M to plan, design, abate and demolish the Humanities and Ortega Hall building.
University of New Mexico – Gallup
- $3.9M to plan, design, construct, renovate and equip infrastructure improvements to Gurley Hall.
- $1M to plan, design, construct and renovate improvements to phase three of Gurley Hall.
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
- $45M to plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip the College of Pharmacy building.
- $15M to plan, design and construct a comprehensive cancer center.
University of New Mexico – Los Alamos
- $4.6M to plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip infrastructure improvements campus wide.
- $1M to plan, design, construct and renovate the student services and success center.
University of New Mexico – Taos
- $1.5M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip phase one of the Space STEM Center.
- $1.1M to plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish and equip renovations and an addition to Fred Peralta Hall.
University of New Mexico – Valencia
- $1M to plan, design, renovate, furnish and equip phase one improvements to the nursing and health sciences facility.
Western New Mexico University
- $9M to plan, design, construct, furnish and equip an early childhood development center building.