TCU prepares for massive expansion to transform campus and surrounding area

FORT WORTH – Texas Christian University released new details this week on how it plans to keep up with record enrollment growth.

The university's master plan would transform TCU's campus and potentially impact the surrounding area in Fort Worth.

Thousands of students started a new semester this week with a front-row seat to the massive campus expansion. Several new buildings are already under construction on the east side of TCU.

"The dining hall and these two dorms will open January of 2025 and will actually be occupied with students as soon as the spring semester," said Daniel W. Pullin, president of TCU. "So it's on its way and it's a little bit ahead of schedule and it's a little bit under budget."

Pullin says the campus master plan will help TCU keep up with demand. A study conducted by consulting firm Brailsford & Dunleavy projected undergraduate growth from 12,000 to 15,000 students by 2033. The graduate student population is expected to grow to between 2,000 and 2,500 students over the same period.

The vision for the university's future is to nearly double the current campus's square footage with more than 30 new buildings.

"With more people wanting to be a part of TCU than ever before, we have to think about the array of facilities, the built environment, and the green spaces, how we care for the environment as well through additional classrooms, laboratories, performance halls, dining facilities, residents' communities as well as amenities," Pullin said.

The bulk of the new construction is set for the east side of campus, in blocks along West Berry Street.

"We think it will be a catalyst for the community, certainly from an economic development perspective," said Pullin.

The university wants to transform the area into the "place to be" in Fort Worth, envisioning a vibrant urban village with new academic facilities, mixed-use buildings with retail and housing, parking garages, and green space.

Businesses on West Berry seem to be looking forward to new development.

"I think it's fantastic," said Jon Bonnell, the executive chef and owner of two restaurants next to campus. "A rising tide rises all ships, so I think we'll all do better. The mom and pops, the big businesses, everybody around TCU."

He's both anxious and excited to see exactly what comes to fruition.

"Just how many businesses, how many residences, how many different things are part of the mix," he said. "I sure hope there's some parking involved that possibly the public can use as well."

The master plan is subject to change. It's unclear when more construction will start or how much these projects would cost.

"We work really hard to diversify our revenue stream so that we don't put it all on the back of tuition," Pullin said. "And that's where philanthropy and good management of our endowment and other revenue streams come into play."

Pullin says even as the university grows, it's important to maintain what makes TCU special.

"So that our class sizes stay small, that our faculty continue to be top-notch, that our students are prepared with the learning outcomes, that it's going to put them in a position to be successful both in their career, but also how they build that career in the context of life," he said. "That'll never change at TCU. We may get a little bit bigger, but we're going to get a lot better."

The university says it already contributes significantly to North Texas through job creation, spending, and tax benefits. Researchers found last fiscal year, TCU's direct economic impact was $2.1 billion nationally, with $1.3 billion specifically benefiting the City of Fort Worth. They believe this master plan will only enhance that number.