DHR moves forward with $5.6M medical research hub in McAllen

A medical research and education center backed by DHR Health and the University of Houston is moving from groundbreaking to construction, with a new state filing showing a nearly $5.6 million building project scheduled to begin later this summer.

On Wednesday, DHR Real Estate Partners LTD registered plans to construct a four-story, 63,640-square-foot shell building at 1212 E. Dove Ave. in McAllen, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The privately funded project carries an estimated construction cost of $5,579,698, with work scheduled to begin Aug. 31 and wrap up by June 30, 2027.

DHR Health and the University of Houston unveiled plans during an April groundbreaking ceremony for the new medical research and education center that leaders said would strengthen physician training, expand research opportunities and help recruit healthcare professionals to the Rio Grande Valley.

At the groundbreaking, DHR Health CEO Dr. Manish Singh described the facility as a transformational investment that would help ensure Valley residents no longer have to leave the region for advanced medical education, research opportunities or specialized care.

The four-story center is planned to include classrooms, faculty offices, simulation-based learning areas and collaborative research space designed to bring education and patient care together under one roof.

University of Houston officials have said the building will support the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine’s growing presence in South Texas while expanding clinical training opportunities for future physicians.

When the project was announced in April, McAllen City Manager Isaac “Ike” Tawil said the center was expected to create between 150 and 200 direct jobs, with additional economic benefits flowing to surrounding businesses through housing, retail and restaurant spending.

The facility is supported in part by a $15 million state appropriation and a $1 million contribution from the city of McAllen, alongside private investment from DHR Health.

The latest filing identifies DHR Real Estate Partners LTD as the owner. McAllen-based Firm Consulting is listed as the design firm, while the project is currently registered as new construction of a shell building. 

The project site sits just east of DHR Health’s main campus near the junction of McAllen, Edinburg and Pharr, a location local officials have previously said positions the center to serve the broader Rio Grande Valley.

Once completed, the building is expected to become a regional hub for medical education, physician training and collaborative research as DHR Health and the University of Houston continue expanding their partnership in South Texas.