AP recently completed two projects with the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas.
The Jazz Lab renovation included updating 3,932 square feet of space within the Music Building. The project encompassed acoustical performance improvements, interior renovations, the addition of instructional technology with recording/webcasting capabilities and new furnishings, along with HVAC and ADA compliance modifications. The area serves as rehearsal space for the university’s nine jazz lab bands, including the seven-time Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band®, as well as four vocal jazz ensembles.
“As one of Texas’ largest universities, UNT is a premier institute of higher education for DFW and the entire state, and it’s a privilege to complete two building projects for the campus,” said Michael Ortiz, Project Executive for AP. “Universities are vital for our future. To continue having an impact, these facilities need to be updated with the latest technology and offer new research opportunities. The facility upgrades and the new building help UNT continue to thrive as a top university.”
AP also constructed UNT’s Advanced Air Mobility (UAAM) Test Center, a 120′ length x 300′ width x 80′ height netted facility supporting research in unmanned air systems and ground autonomous vehicles. A contained facility, the Air Mobility Lab creates all-weather conditions with full FAA compliance, enabling testing and analysis of Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) physical robustness and safety criteria including hard-ground impact, collisions, and effects of high-speed maneuvers on flight dynamics and controls.
This facility is part of UNT’s Center for Integrated Intelligent Mobility Systems (CIIMS), which was established in 2020. CIIMS brings together various expertise, including engineering and business, around intelligent mobility, such as autonomous flight, ground vehicles and the systems that enable their deployment.
“We’re excited about the renovations made to the College of Music’s Jazz Lab – these improvements will support our talented students as they continue developing their skills for many years to come,” said Jeff Brown, Associate Vice President for Facilities at UNT. “And the UAAM Test center is amazing. We look forward to seeing the research that takes place in this facility, propelling drone technology forward.”
Smith Group is the Music Lab project architect, while Walter P Moore serves as the architect for the Air Mobility Lab.
AP has worked on several higher education projects across the state of Texas, with current and past projects including The University of Texas Permian-Basin, Midland College, Southern Methodist University, The University of Texas in Austin and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
AP Gulf States’ current projects include adaptive reuse work at downtown Dallas’ Santander Tower. Additionally, AP’s recent notable completed projects include the new PGA of America headquarters in Frisco, Vari’s headquarters with VariSpace in Coppell, and Buildings 17 and 18 at Billingsley Company’s International Business Park in Plano. The AP Central Texas office recently broke ground on Sunrise Commerce Center in Round Rock.
