PALESTINE — Members of the University of Texas at Tyler-Palestine Campus Development Council, along with UT Tyler officials announced this week the kick-off of the campaign to construct a bigger and better Palestine campus.

Along with that announcement came the acknowledgment today of a lead gift in the “Paving the Way” campaign — a $500,000 contribution from the Palestine Industrial Foundation.

“The Industrial Foundation was started in 1954 by a group of individuals and families who desired to improve economic development in Palestine,” Development Council Chairman David Barnard said in a Wednesday interview. “This group of people see education as a cornerstone of the community — as being vital to the future of Palestine.”

UT Tyler board members recently named an architect for the project, Barnes Gromatzky Kosarek Architects of Austin, who estimate the cost of the new campus at about $9.6 million.

Most of those funds have already been received, thanks to the efforts of local lawmakers Byron Cook and Todd Staples who helped the University obtain $6.3 million in tuition revenue bonds. UT Tyler later contributed an additional $700,000 to the project.

“But that is not enough,” Barnard said. “We still need about $2.6 million in funding to finish out the building and for things like parking lots, landscaping and funding for before we can begin construction.”

The development council began looking for ways to raise those additional funds and decided to host a fund-raising campaign to meets those needs and complete the project.

“Members of the development council were asked to make advanced commitments toward that goal,” Barnard said. “Advanced commitments, including that from the Palestine Industrial Foundation, total $1,568,650.

“We are ready to announce Friday (today) and have just over half of the needed funds raised,” Barnard said Wednesday. “That is very exciting.”

According to Barnard, the Palestine Economic Development Corp played a vital role in seeing the UT Tyler-Palestine expansion come about.

“Through their efforts that expansion idea started,” Barnard said. “They funded the survey of local public school systems and have in the past made available $50,000 to build a classroom.”

UT Tyler President Rodney Mabry stated he was pleased with and grateful to all parties involved in the expansion of their extension campus.

“UT Tyler has a history of outstanding and committed support from the Palestine community, and we are truly grateful,” Mabry said. “The development council and the great citizens are dedicated to the continued success of UT Tyler in Anderson County.”

Overseeing the “Paving the Way” campaign is the Texas Area Fund Foundation, also known to locals as the Anderson County Community Foundation. The group obtained the 50 acres of land needed for the new UT Tyler Palestine campus.

The campaign is set to continue through November, with phone calls and project presentations being planned throughout the community.

“This is a great for our kids and vital for the future of Palestine,” Barnard said. “It is important to provide a good quality of life and good jobs for future generations in this community.”

Even though all the money is not raised, plans for construction can still continue, Barnard said. The land has already been surveyed and the base shell of the design has already been created.

“Now that the architect has been formally named, they can begin working on a master plan for the building design,” he said. “This process will take well into 2008, with estimated construction start time to be sometime in 2009.

“It is our hope to have the campus open in the fall of 2010,” he added. “But in the mean time, the current UT Tyler Palestine campus will stay open as usual.”

Barnard could not say what new programs or classes might be offered at the new campus.

“As the university grows and demands for new courses or degree programs increase,” he said, “they will be offered to the students.”

Founded in 1995, UT Tyler-Palestine offers undergraduate degree programs in business, health studies, interdisciplinary studies and nursing; and graduate degree programs of business, health and kinesiology and nursing.

More information on the “Pave the Way” campaign can be found at www.texasfoundation.com, by e-mailing txfoundation@goquest.com or by calling 903-729-5350.

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Mary Rainwater may be reached via e-mail at mrainwater@palestineherald.com