[5] Controversy arose when the university announced plans to demolish the building to construct a new football practice facility, citing modernization needs and proximity to athletic headquarters.

[6] The proposal sparked widespread criticism from local preservation advocates,[7] including faculty,[8] alumni,[9] and grassroots coalitions such as "save the past for the fUTure", who argued that the building represents an irreplaceable cultural and historical landmark.

[10] Efforts to save the structure culminated in its designation as a State Antiquities Landmark on July 26, 2024[11] by the Texas Historical Commission, temporarily adding legal hurdles to demolition plans.

[13] Demolition began shortly after the permit was granted, and the site will be transformed into a modern athletic complex with indoor and outdoor practice fields, a sprint track, and parking facilities.

[19] The former school site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 19, 2001, in recognition of its significance in the development of the university's campus architecture and the history of pedagogical research and teacher education in Texas.

[4] The main entrance faces west toward Waller Creek and is set into a four-story central massing, flanked to the north by an auditorium (now called the Utopia Theater) and to the south by a former gymnasium (now used for office space).

[17] Concrete steps lead up to the main doors on the second level, above which recently added brass lettering labels the build as the "SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK."