President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., (third from right) and Brian Herman, Ph.D., vice president for research (standing to the right of Dr. Cigarroa) accept a check for $2.1 million from CPS Energy officials (L-R) John Saenz, vice president of retail energy; Steve Bartley, assistant general manager and COO; and Milton Lee, general manager and CEO. Bill Mock, senior vice president of administration for the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce (far right) was also present.
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The UT Health Science Center San Antonio received a $2.1 million contribution Oct. 7 from the CPS Energy Community Infrastructure and Economic Development (CIED) Fund. The grant provides support for the construction of two cutting-edge research and medical buildings — the South Texas Research Facility (STRF) and the Medical Arts and Research Center (MARC).

Milton Lee, general manager and chief executive officer of CPS Energy, presented the check to UT Health Science Center President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D. Other CPS officials in attendance included Steve Bartley, assistant general manager and chief operating officer; John Saenz, vice president of Retail Energy; and Tom Long, senior manager of Customer Relationships & Economic Development. Also present was Bill Mock, senior vice president for Administration and Personnel at the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

“We appreciate CPS’s support, said UT Health Science Center President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D. “These two buildings will help us provide better patient care for South Texans, as well as significantly increased space for our research efforts that are already contributing to improved patient care throughout the world.”

South Texas Research Facility to greatly expand research capabilities
Construction of the $150 million STRF, to be located in the 8400 block of Floyd Curl Drive, has already begun. The 200,000 square-foot building, to be constructed using the U.S. Green Building Council’s requirements as best practices, will significantly increase the space for research into areas relevant to the health of South Texans, such as diabetes, obesity, healthy aging, age-related neurodegenerative disease and regenerative medicine. In addition to helping the Health Science Center translate science more quickly into accepted practice, the STRF will contribute to the economy by moving new technologies into commercial ventures.

“Right now we have a significant deficit of research space on our campus, so these new buildings will be a major improvement for our scientists,” added Brian Herman, Ph.D., vice president for research at the Health Science Center.

Medical Arts and Research Center to facilitate better care for patients
The MARC, being built at 8300 Floyd Curl Drive using many energy-efficient designs, will be the new site of UT Medicine, the Health Science Center’s multispecialty faculty practice group. The $105 million, 256,000-square-foot building is halfway completed and is expected to open in July 2009.

The MARC will bring together eight of the Health Science Center’s separate research and clinic locations into a single, premier, medical practice featuring “clinical neighborhoods,” making it easier for patients to receive care from related specialists. A leading-edge electronic medical records system will consolidate patient records so that they can be more easily accessed by caregivers, providing more accurate information and less chance of errors. The practice will also launch a new electronics appointment and billing system expected to significantly improve service for patients and increase staff efficiency.

The purpose of the CIED Fund grant program is to benefit the community and improve the quality of life of CPS Energy’s customers through the support of investments that will strengthen the regional economy, provide for public safety and public welfare benefits, and support CPS Energy’s overarching commitment to environmental stewardship.