The UT System Board of Regents announced plans to build a new medical center on the site of the Frank Erwin Center during a press conference Aug. 14. The University of Texas at Austin Medical Center will establish two hospitals — The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and a UT Austin hospital. 

“We will bring the world’s No. 1 cancer hospital to Central Texas and build on UT-Austin’s reputation for excellence in the success of the Dell Medical School and UT Health Austin,” said Kevin P. Eltife, UT System Board Chairman in a KXAN article.

MD Anderson will staff and operate one of the new hospitals, according to a recent press release. The new center will allow Central Texas patients to receive specialty care in Austin rather than traveling to Houston.

In addition to patient care, the medical center will also expand educational and research opportunities available to students.

According to the medical center’s FAQ page, the demolition of the Frank Erwin Center is expected to be completed by October 2024. Officials anticipate they will break ground for the medical center in 2026, the press release stated.

Along with state-of-the-art facilities, the center will bring 150 inpatient beds and over 230 outpatient exam rooms, according to KXAN. Eltife said while the total investment for the project is still being discussed among regents, the estimated cost is $2.5 billion.

“The State of Texas has been on a mission to use higher education to expand access to healthcare, and today marks a giant step towards achieving our goals,” Governor Greg Abbott said at the conference. “The Texas of tomorrow will be shaped by what UT Austin and MD Anderson are building here today.” 

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story had an image of a hospital not owned by UT Austin. The Texan regrets this error.