University of Dallas is breaking ground on their 12 acres cultural district that will use up $158 million to complete according to a Dallas Morning News article from May 11. They say,
“The University of Texas at Dallas broke ground on Wednesday for a sweeping new 12-acre cultural district, in what UTD officials describe as a “major expansion” of arts and cultural programming on its Richardson campus, which was founded in 1969.
The project, with three phases in all, will take its name from the ancient Greeks and call itself the Athenaeum. Phase I will cost an estimated $58 million and house the UTD wing of the Crow Museum of Asian Art, whose flagship will remain in the Dallas Arts District.
“This is just a huge development,” Benson said. “UT-Dallas historically has had a reputation as being STEM-focused,” referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “But M also stands for management, meaning our business school.
“This focus is great, but the fact is, a lot of people here, including thousands and thousands of students, have an interest and passion in the arts, in both the visual and performing arts. And so, we have not been able to give full measure to that expression — up to now.”
However, the $158 million project wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for sponsors and donors who have gratuitously provided funds and support for the project. Two of them include the Crow family and the O’Donnell Foundation according to a Dallas Innovates article from May 12 which reports,
“A $32 million gift from the O’Donnell Foundation is helping to support the project—the largest gift yet from one of UT Dallas’s biggest donors.
In addition to art works in the Crow Collection, UTD has also received gifts of three collections of Latin American folk art: the Roger Horchow Collection; the Laura and Dan Boeckman Collection of Latin American Folk Art; and the Bryan J. Stevens Collection of Masks of the Sierra de Puebla.
“Thanks to the transformative gift from the O’Donnell Foundation, as well as lead gifts from the Crow family and other generous Dallas families, we can now realize this vision for the Athenaeum,” Benson added, “creating vibrant spaces commensurate with our aspirations for UT Dallas and becoming a hub for the arts in North Texas
The Athenaeum project has been in the works for years. In 2019, the Crow family gave it a massive boost by donating the entire collection of the Trammell and Margaret Crow Museum of Asian Art, along with $25.45 million of support funding for the new UT Dallas campus museum.”
Despite being able to raise $73.9 million from sponsors, donors as well as academic and community efforts for the entire project, the school is still looking forward to raising an additional $59.1 million.
