3 min

Project Control Celebrates Opening of O'Donnell Athenaeum Phase One at UT Dallas

Project Control, a division of Raba Kistner, Inc. (part of the Kiwa group) recently celebrated alongside their client, The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) the opening of the first phase of the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Jr. Athenaeum project. The first phase features the UT Dallas Art Museums, including the Trammell and Margaret Crow Museum of Asian Art of The University of Texas at Dallas and a rotating collection from the Dallas Museum of Art.

The 12-acre site for the Athenaeum will serve as a new cultural and arts hub on campus. When complete, the site will include two museums, a performance hall and music building, a parking structure, and a grand plaza. This ambitious initiative aims to enhance both student and community engagement through expanded opportunities in the arts. The grand opening marks a significant milestone in UTD's efforts to enrich cultural offerings in the region.

On the same day, UTD and the project team celebrated the phase two groundbreaking of the performance hall and music building. The two-story facility will offer 66,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor spaces. It will feature a 680-seat performance hall, rooms for rehearsals and practice, teaching studios, a percussion studio, and a recording studio. Additionally, it will include areas for student use and classrooms. This additional phase is expected to be completed by Fall 2026.

These projects are part of a larger program management effort undertaken by Project Control for The University of Texas System (System). Project Control was hired by the System in 2019 to manage capital projects on six different campuses. To date, the firm has completed or has in progress 26 projects totaling more than $1.6 billion USD.

About Project Control

Founded in 1977, Project Control is a premier project management and owner’s representative firm. As pioneers and innovators in program and project management, they commit to representing and safeguarding the best interests of their owner clients. Their role is to assist building owners in managing their capital projects effectively; this includes establishing budgets and schedules, assisting in team selection, and overseeing projects from feasibility and planning stages through design, construction, and final owner occupancy.

With a portfolio of over 2,000 projects valued at more than $16 billion in new construction and redevelopment, Project Control has extensive experience across diverse market sectors. These include municipal/government, education, corporate, healthcare, hospitality, science and technology, and sports and entertainment. They have nine offices across Texas and Nebraska. The firm comprises 110+ employees, including project managers, construction inspectors, and support staff.

Project Control is a division of Raba Kistner, Inc. (Raba Kistner). Raba Kistner is a 55+-year-old, Texas-based multidisciplinary firm with expertise in environmental, geotechnical, construction materials engineering, building envelope services, and horizontal infrastructure services operating across the U.S. and Mexico.