Given that I don’t get downtown much these days, I am struck by the progress I keep seeing at the site of an old office building that’s being transformed into something quite different.

Downtown Amarillo is going to home to a branch campus of West Texas A&M University. The Amarillo Economic Development Corporation purchased the old Commerce Building at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Tyler Street. WT will move its downtown campus operations out of the 31-story Chase Tower a block north and plans to take possession of its new downtown campus after raising sufficient funds to pay for rehabilitating the building.

When I heard of the purchase, my initial reaction was: Hey, that’s a pretty modern building. All they’ll have to do is knock out a few walls, re-do some of the wiring and plumbing, fill the place up with office equipment and classroom accessories.

Presto! Ring the school bell and let classes begin!

Not so fast, padnuh.

They’re knocking the daylights out of the Commerce Building location. The exterior of the structure is going to look totally different, near as I can tell. Lord knows what the inside will look like.

I am aware of the questions raised about the sale and purchase of the site. I know about the questions regarding the appraised value of the property and whether it was inflated.

That’s not the point here.

My point is to wish WT well as it continues to improve and increase its footprint in downtown Amarillo.

By having a stand-alone structure with the university emblem displayed prominently to motorists and other visitors to downtown, it establishes its name and brand in the Panhandle’s unofficial “capital city.”

My understanding is that the opening date has been pushed back a bit. No worries there, either.

As long as it gets done and opens its doors to students, I’m more than OK with the progress we keep seeing in downtown Amarillo’s redevelopment and renewal.