UTRGV purchasing land in McAllen to double size of its medical school

UT-Rio Grande Valley is to purchase 38 acres of land in McAllen in order to double the size of its medical school.The land, part of the 495 Commerce Center development just south of Pecan Boulevard between Jackson and McColl, will be home to UTRGV’s planned McAllen Academic Medical Campus.News of the purchase was announced by Dr. Parwinder Grewal, executive vice president of research, innovation and new program development at UTRGV, in his monthly report to the McAllen Economic Development Corporation.Interviewed after the meeting, Grewal told the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service: “Mainly I wanted to share that UTRGV plans to buy 38 acres of land to double the size of its medical school. That will be in the City of McAllen. That land will be on the south side of Pecan Boulevard, between Jackson and McColl. We will complete the acquisition of that land this year and thereafter we will basically start the building because the medical school needs space urgently.Asked why expansion of the medical school is so important, Grewal said: “The medical school is expanding. We are adding more and more research programs so we absolutely need to expand our facilities for the School of Medicine. And, our Cancer Center, which is already based in McAllen, that has just received its first separate grant, which is from the Texas Cancer Institute. It is about $2.5 million.”Editor's Note: Click here to read the full story in the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service.Go to www.riograndeguardian.com to read the latest border news stories and watch the latest news videos.