SAN ANTONIO – A building many San Antonians have driven past for years is getting a new life — and soon, a new purpose.
The former AT&T building along Broadway has been transformed into the University of the Incarnate Word’s Founders Hall, a massive expansion that is reshaping the campus footprint.
University of the Incarnate Word President Thomas Evans said the scale of the project is hard to miss.
“This is 380,000 square feet,” Evans said. “It’s a massive building.”
The nine-story building sits on a 10-acre property and includes a 500-car parking garage. UIW acquired the property in 2019 and has been carefully renovating it —preserving elements of its past while building something new for students.
“The whole building is really keeping with the history of it,” Evans said. “So USAA built this as their first build-to-order headquarters.”
Inside, the transformation is already taking shape.
What was once a corporate office is now being reimagined into classrooms, labs and collaborative learning spaces. The ground floor and first three levels will serve as a hub for the School of Media and Design and the School of Mathematics, Science and Engineering, along with international programs and student services.
There are also clear reminders of the building’s past —like a refreshed auditorium that once served USAA employees and design elements that reflect San Antonio’s identity.
“The tile was actually designed specifically for this space … it’s very San Antonio and UIW,” Evans said.
The building includes eight floors plus a ground level, many of them dedicated to classrooms and student use. New additions like a television studio and control rooms are also part of the vision, helping train the next generation of professionals.
For Evans, the impact goes beyond bricks and mortar.
“The fact that students will be able to walk these halls and utilize it … it’s indescribable,” Evans said.
As construction continues in phases, university leaders said they’re looking forward to seeing the space come alive.
“To see it full of activity … and all the learning happening here … I cannot wait,” Evans said.
Students are expected to begin using Founders Hall when classes start this fall.
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