Round Rock’s first campus building named in honor of Avery family

SAN MARCOS —Texas State University-San Marcos has named the first permanent building at its Round Rock Higher Education Center in honor of the Avery family – the family who donated the land that will be the permanent home of the RRHEC.

The Texas State University System Board of Regents voted unanimously Thursday, Nov. 18, to name the RRHEC main building in honor of siblings A. Nelson Avery, John. S. Avery Sr., Charles M. Avery III and Christina Avery Fell.

The Round Rock Higher Education Center is led by Texas State in partnership with Austin Community College and Temple College at Taylor. It offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a variety of academic disciplines to students in the North Austin and Williamson County area.

Created in 1998 as the North Austin/Williamson County Multi Institution Teaching Center, it has operated since that time in portable buildings at Westwood High School and Round Rock School District facilities.

In 2003, the Avery family donated 101 acres of land off Chandler Road in Round Rock for a permanent campus. The donation was valued at $2.85 million.

“This was land that the Avery family had owned, tilled and preserved for six generations, dating back to Arvid Nelson’s arrival in the United States from Sweden in 1854,” said Texas State President Denise Trauth. “We are grateful to the Averys for stepping forward with this generous gift.”

The Avery Building, which is currently under construction, is scheduled for completion in August 2005. The three-story structure will encompass 117,000 square feet and provide for classroom, laboratory and office space. Ground was broken for the new building on March 22, 2004, and construction began May 10.