The establishment of the University of Texas Health Science Center Regional Campus at Laredo demonstrates the firm commitment of the Health Science Center to partner with the Laredo and surrounding South Texas Region. The D. D. Hachar Building with its distinctive bell tower is the iconic facility of this campus that opened in 2002 to provide advanced health professional education and training programs and resources to Laredo and the South Texas region. The second building on the campus opened in 2007.