Located at the heart of the campus, the new Student Center provides students, faculty, staff, and visitors with spaces for study, interaction, relaxation, recreation, and reflection. The transformation included 90,000 square feet of new construction and 180,000 square feet of renovated and adaptive reuse space. The student center is the focal point for the only Tier 1 university in the Houston area and includes a game room, meeting areas, bowling alley, bookstore, radio station, support group spaces, ballroom, auditorium, lounge spaces, and offices. The building also houses a food court featuring a McDonalds, Chic-Fil-A, Panda Express, and Starbucks. Each restaurant was constructed with the kitchens and food preparation space built out to individual requirements through careful coordination with the owner.