UT's $425 Million Business Building Breaks Ground This Fall

After a decade of planning, the University of Texas' new undergraduate business building, Miriam and James J. Mulva Hall, breaks ground this fall with a $425 million price tag. The 17-story, 373,000-square-foot building is set to open in summer 2028, featuring a glass exterior and staggered shaded terraces offering views of the UT Tower, the Forty Acres, and Austin. Taking the place of the Dobie parking garage, it will be the first academic building on University Ave.

“We're the highest-ranked business school with the most dated facilities relative to how prestigious the education and thought leadership is here," said Lillian Mills, dean of the McCombs School of Business.

With a $40 million gift from Miriam and James Mulva and $1 million+ donations from 50 other donors, it's the most significant philanthropic project for a university building. The UT System Board of Regents approved the project's cost and the first phase of design development last November, with the next round of approvals set for this November.

Design and Features

• The building will complete the southwest corner of campus, creating a neighborhood with the AT&T Conference Center and Rowling Hall, home to UT’s business graduate programs.
• 25% of UT students are expected to take classes in the new building, which will have 29 classrooms, a career center, academic advising, common spaces, and specialty research labs.
• The first six floors will cater to students, with the dean and senior leaders housed on the seventh floor, and the remaining floors dedicated to faculty departments.
• The design includes formal and informal gathering spaces, such as the Exchange on the first floor, opening up the doors to the wider community.
• According to Caitlin Mullaney, associate dean for business affairs, "What we know is most important about business is people, and I think that's something that we really want to focus on with this building.”

The new business building at UT-Austin is set to be a modern, forward-looking space, reflecting the prestige and aspirations of the McCombs School of Business.