Nueces Mosque has been serving the Muslims students at the University of Texas at Austin since 1977 with an overflowing 100-year-old building that is now rapidly deteriorating. The community has outgrown the space and it is now time to replace the structure with a modern state-of-the-art facility to accommodate the community’s current and future needs. The new center will be a space where students and young professionals can come together for Ibadah (worship), Suhbah (companionship) and Sakina (peace).
“Whoever builds a Masjid for Allah, Allah will build a home for them in paradise” (Sahih Muslim)
Donate NowCalling upon UT alumni, parents and community members across Austin, the state of Texas, and the U.S. to join our global campaign. Your donations are vital. We need your help to raise $4M in order to mobilize construction.
Make a tax-deductible donation and be part of this transformative journey.
Together, we can create a legacy that stands the test of time.
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The future of Islam in the West is being shaped on college campuses today. For the past 45 years, Nueces Mosque has been a model campus community shaping the lives and futures of thousands of Muslim students. As the largest fully student-run Masjid in the nation, it has empowered students to love and engage with the Masjid through various leadership roles and activities.
Positioned near UT Austin and the State Capitol, Nueces Mosque aims to be a beacon of Islam in the heart of Texas, a center of Dawah, and a place of authentic study, inspiring students and young professionals.
Our vision is to establish a self-sustaining institution at Nueces Mosque that will fortify the faith of college students, train and educate future leaders, and provide a platform for civic, societal, and interfaith engagement. We aim to construct an iconic institution in the heart of Texas that will house a Masjid, Dawah Center, Seminary, and an Education Center for new and renewed Muslims from all over the world.
Mufti Mohamed-Umer Esmail (Rahimahullah) was one of the most prominent Islamic scholars in North America. His untimely passing in 2019 profoundly impacted the UT and Austin community. Mufti Umer served for decades as an imam in Austin, leading the Nueces Mosque community for almost a decade. He was deeply beloved by University of Texas students, whom he guided at Nueces Mosque. Known for his interfaith work and frequent public lectures on Islam, Mufti Umer left an indelible mark on the community and its vision. Naming the center after him is a tribute to his lifetime of service to the community and his vision for Nueces Mosque.
The project is currently in the Design and Engineering phase (pre-construction). The site development plan was submitted to the City of Austin on May 20, 2024. We have engaged the services of a highly-experienced professional team of civil engineers, site planners, architects, structural & mechanical engineers, and permit expeditors to complete all the necessary site plan and building design documents. We anticipate site development plan approval in the first half of 2025. Our objective is to mobilize construction in the fall of 2025 and ensure completion no later than 2027, Insha-ALLAH, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Nueces Mosque. Kindly refer to the project master schedule on our website for more details: nuecesmosque.com/reconstruction.
The new facility will be a six-story, 74,677 sq ft mixed-use building with the following components:
Located near downtown Austin, where construction costs are much higher than suburban areas, the project is currently estimated between $325 to $375 per sq ft. We have issued formal Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to general contractors (GCs) for an early pricing exercise & competitive bidding. We will continue to refine project costs as we progress through GC selection and value engineering phases.
Funding Plan:
As of December 2024, we have secured approximately $2.6M. We aim to raise an additional $2M by Ramadan 2025.
Our goal is to mobilize construction once we have $6M cash on hand and all permits have been approved. The remaining funds will be raised during the two-year construction phase.
Self-sustainability is a core objective of this project. Rental income from student housing will generate funds to cover operating expenses, including maintenance, salaries, and programs. Our vision is to provide Muslim students at UT Austin with access to world-class programming, direct contact with the Imams, teachers, counselors, and visiting scholars, along with the best facilities for a place they will call home and their spiritual sanctuary.
UT Austin has a growing demand for student housing, with over 7,000 additional beds needed, according to a recent market analysis by CBRE. Nueces Mosque aims to address this demand by offering a safe and wholesome Islamic living environment with gender-dedicated floors, providing Muslim students at UT Austin access to world-class facilities, programs, and spiritual guidance.
High-rise construction in downtown Austin differs significantly from suburban projects. This site requires:
Phased construction is not economical and would increase costs significantly. Therefore, a unified construction approach is necessary.
The new center will not include on-site parking. Instead, we are exploring off-site parking options, such as leasing nearby spaces or partnering for joint development opportunities.
Key considerations:
Austin’s West Campus is undergoing a mobility transformation, emphasizing pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and reducing on-site parking requirements.
Yes, we are accepting major gift pledges now. However, we need to collect an additional $4M by Ramadan 2025 to mobilize construction. All funds for this project are kept in a separate, secure account, strictly designated for reconstruction. Current masjid operational funds are managed separately.
Nueces Mosque is a registered non-profit organization with several company matching programs. Please consult your HR Department for additional details.
Benevity users can check online: Google, Apple, Visa, Intel, Microsoft, Dell, etc.
We will rent facilities in West Campus or on the UT Austin campus to accommodate daily prayers, Friday prayers, Ramadan, and regular programs. These arrangements will be in place before construction begins.
Nueces Mosque shall always remain a student-run masjid. The student-only Executive Committee will continue to lead and oversee all programs, events, and operations, including Jummah prayers, and Ramadan activities. The Board of Directors will provide strategic support.
Professional resources will assist with facility management, and student housing will be managed by a professional apartment management company.
Yes. Nueces Mosque is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN # 83-4294610). Keep your email donation receipt as your official record for tax deductions. For questions, contact finance@nuecesmosque.com.
As a matter of policy, Nueces Mosque does not actively solicit Zakat funds for the reconstruction project. However, we will accept funds from donors who feel comfortable discharging their personal zakat towards this noble project and mission. In particular, the Dawah Center and Seminary project are generally considered Zakat-eligible. Please see detailed scholarly opinion drafted by Imam Anwer Imam, Director of Religious Affairs, Nueces Mosque.
Nueces Mosque is a one-of-a-kind community consisting of academics, intellectuals, students, young professionals, and families, uniquely situated in the backdrop of the seat of government and nestled on a leading academic and research campus. The aims and objectives of the Nueces Mosque Reconstruction Project reach far beyond simply building a mosque.
Through the establishment of the Nueces Seminary which aims to become the gold-standard of Islamic education for university students and the novel Shaykh Mufti Mohamed-Umer Esmail Da’wah Center, Nueces Mosque stands to be at the center of the preservation of faith, the authentic study of the religion, and the source of spiritual and intellectual growth for the entire community. A lengthier paper illustrates that the issue of zakat-eligibility is a matter of legitimate scholarly difference of opinion. Among those opinions is one which permits organizations that have a da’wah mandate to accept zakat funds.
Nueces Mosque believes that it qualifies as such an organization because of its central role in “establishing conviction in the hearts and minds of young Muslim students and being uniquely positioned to spread Islam in the West.”
For any further questions or designation requests, please contact finance@nuecesmosque.com.
