HOUSTON, TX As the structure for the final floor of the highly anticipated new parking garage and office building project was put in place, Rice University and JE Dunn Construction held a topping-out celebration. 

The new six-story, 67,000-square-foot office facility will house administrative departments on levels two through six. A portion of the first floor will house shared meeting spaces to be made available to students during the evenings.

The east side of the building will be connected to a new seven-level, 159,000-square-foot above-ground garage constructed of cast-in-place concrete with approximately 500 parking spaces. 

To preserve the university's existing aesthetic, the garage will be disguised with leaf images displayed cladding made of a lightweight breathable poly mesh in an aluminum framing system and attached to the sides of the structure.

The office building is expected to attain LEED silver certification. The first floor will feature Ultra Clear Glass, while the upper floors will have vertical terracotta fins designed to control the amount of natural light into the offices, and are reminiscent of the terracotta roofing tiles throughout the rest of campus. The parking garage will be disguised with leaf images displayed on textile mesh cladding attached to the sides of the garage. 

To improve the flow and accommodate the increased traffic, Rice's Entrance 3, is being widened. 

The project is scheduled to be completed summer 2017. The project architect is Kieran Timberlake.