DEVELOPMENT BRIEFS
Developments underway in Georgetown
Southwestern University designing new stadium, dorms
cheering on the Pirates,” he said. With SU at 100% occupancy in its residence halls, the school plans to add 300 beds by tearing down the Martin Ruter and Ernest Clark halls and building new student housing. Secord said the buildings will not come down until the new living spaces are up. The new residence halls, which are a response to Georgetown’s growing population and rising housing costs, will take two years to complete. The university will also begin renovations to Mood-Bridwell Hall the day after May’s commencement, which will take about 15 months.
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GAF Energy’s product is the rst nailable solar roo ng shingle.
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
N
Southwestern University is in the design phase for its new football stadium, which is expected to be ready for the school’s 2024 season. The stadium will bring football back to the SU campus for the rst time in more than 70 years after the school re-established the team in 2013. The SU Pirates have been play- ing home games at Georgetown ISD’s Birkelbach Field. The $15 million stadium will also be used by SU’s soccer and lacrosse teams and the broader community. Paul Secord, SU’s vice president for university relations and strategic initiatives, said 36% of the student body is varsity athletes. “It will make it easier for our students to attend games, and it will open the campus even further to our Georgetown-area fans who love
COURTESY GAF ENERGY
GAF Energy on track to complete facility in June
BY CLAIRE SHOOP
largest producer of solar roo ng in the world, he said. The facility will be located on the southeast corner of I-35 and SE Inner Loop in Georgetown. Once fully operational, 265 people will work at the GAF Georgetown facility. The company, which received incentives from the city for building in Georgetown, will invest more than $100 million in capital over the next 10 years. Robinett said the company decided to build in Georgetown because the location allows it to tap into the region’s talent and sit- uates it in the midst of a growing, vibrant residential solar market.
With construction set to be n- ished on its new site in June, GAF Energy will be manufacturing its solar roo ng products in George- town by the end of the year, Ralph Robinett, senior vice president of manufacturing and supply chain, said in an email. The new facility will increase GAF Energy’s production of its Timberline Solar, an innovative nailable solar shingle, by 500%, Robinett said. The Georgetown location will be GAF Energy’s second U.S. manufacturing center producing Timberline Solar. This will make the company the
Martin Ruter Hall is one of the dorms that will be replaced once additional student housing is built.
GRANT CRAWFORD COMMUNITY IMPACT
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