Hurricane-Damaged U. of Texas Hospital to Be Rebuilt in Galveston

The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston will be getting a new, $438-million teaching hospital to replace the one that was badly damaged three years ago by Hurricane Ike, The Houston Chronicle reports. The university’s Board of Regents approved plans on Thursday for a 13-story facility on the island, which was devastated by Ike. The Galveston-based Sealy & Smith Foundation is contributing $170-million toward construction. The rest of the cost will be borne by tuition-based revenue bonds approved by the Texas Legislature, the medical branch itself, and $100-million in expected donations. Some have questioned the wisdom of rebuilding the hospital on an island vulnerable to more hurricanes, but the university system has remained committed to keeping it there.