UTPA passed up free land for Starr campus

RIO GRANDE CITY -- It's hard to pass up a freebie.

But when choosing a final site for their Starr County Upper Level Center, University of Texas-Pan American officials passed over 75 acres a developer donated in favor of a piece alongside South Texas College's local campus.

STC accepted an offer on the 4 ½ acres from UTPA officials last month.

And UTPA is now set to pay STC $441,000.

The entire project is estimated to cost UTPA more than $7 million, most of which the state will pay.

Fizzling deals

UTPA and Starr County officials say the decision was the best one to ensure easy access to a higher education for area students.

But local developer Dario Garza is steamed.

He is demanding back a $10,000 donation he said was made with the understanding that UTPA would build its campus on his land.

James Langabeer, UTPA's vice president for business affairs, said the university never made any promises to build on Garza's land, which is 2 ½ miles north of downtown Rio Grande City on Farm-to-Market Road 755.

Garza has leased part of the tract to UTPA for the last six years at a dollar a year. UTPA located its temporary classroom trailers there.

The Upper Level Center will offer junior- and senior-level college classes, allowing students to build upon associate's degree work at STC and earn a bachelor's.

Any area hosting the campus would have played host to a built-in student population.

So, Garza said buyers interested in the rest of his land because of UTPA's development possibilities have pulled out because the university is now set to locate near STC, which is west of Rio Grande City on Farm-to-Market Road 3167.

In addition, Garza said he had offered to donate 10 percent of proceeds from land sales in that area to a UTPA scholarship fund. His initial $10,000 donation was to endow the fund, he said.

Forging ahead

UTPA leaders opted to purchase the 4-plus acres from STC rather than accept Garza's land donation because they wanted a more central location, Langabeer said.

Rio Grande City High School is on the same road as STC, along with the local hospital and several new business and residential developments.

More students will attend college if it is located in a central location rather than in another area of the city, Langabeer said.

The distance to Edinburg and the money for gas have kept many in Starr County from continuing their educations after attending STC, he said.

"To me, it makes a whole bunch of sense," Langabeer said.

Starr County Industrial Foundation Director Rose Benavidez agreed.

"They needed to be in an area where they had accessibility," she said.

In addition to providing students with a central location to receive a college education, both institutions can share facilities, parking and services by being next to each other, STC President Shirley Reed said.

"We can share (STC's) library. We're already doing the grounds keeping and (providing) security," Reed said. "It makes perfect sense."

So, despite Garza's objections, UTPA's upper level center is moving into its new home.

Reed said STC is already leasing classroom space to UTPA so it can continue holding classes over the summer. And university officials plan to move their portable buildings to the new property by September.

The deal still requires approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, but the University of Texas' Board of Regents approved the plan last year.

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Sara Perkins covers Mission, western Hidalgo County, Starr County and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4472.

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Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.