They need to put in some bus lanes on University, especially between Campus Drive and Hackberry Ln. The Crimson Ride buses get so backed up there - it messes up the entire system.
If able, would you take some pics of some of these projects? I don't get to return to campus much. In particular, would be great to see Phase 3 of the SEC. That area is going to be so beautiful when finally completed. Hard to believe that side of campus has changed so much. I remember when it was Fugly. Thanks!
It still kinda is with all the streets and parking lots. When the parking lot north of the Ferguson Center is removed, it will really improve the look of the northern part of campus.
I took this photo of the SEC Phase III from in front of SEC. Note: I make no claims of being a good photographer, let alone a competent one! I'm armed only with a camera phone.
Awesome! Thanks so much. Always great to see pics from campus. I'll post thse to the collegeconfidential.com UA thread. If you can take more pics in the future, it is most appreciated!
Thanks, but like I said, I'm not a very good photographer. tredici takes excellent photos, but I'm sure he's swamped with classes at present.
Haha, I do stay quite busy, but I've been getting back to my camera a bit more lately. I'm hoping to get some shots of the new plaza at Foster and Marr's Spring soon. Maybe one day when I'm less busy I'll go around campus taking update pictures
Some new items I see that haven't been discussed before:
* A 400-seat lecture hall addition to Russell Hall
* A new digital media center adjacent to the Reese Phifer Hall (I know there's a rendering of it that's been posted here somewhere)
EDIT: I think this is it:
Quote:
Originally Posted by atlanta68
scroll down and click on link to University of Alabama
I imagine that the building will not look like what we see in that rendering, as the latter was created prior to the construction of the BDS Plaza.
Will be interesting to see what they do with Russell. It is one of the few Fugly buildings on campus. I know the Master Plan calls for harmonizing the architechture of the campus via renovations. I think the Biology Building is up next. They will add a row of columns on one side of that building to bring it in line with the architectural guidelines.
This shouldn't interfere with the BDS Plaza. It will go up right to next to Reese Phifer Hall, in fact it looks like it will attach to RP. The Student Media Building (the one that looks like an old fraternity house) will have to be torn down to make way.
No, the funding for that, as well as several other multi million dollar projects have already been approved. google shelby and those projects, and you will see. UA got the goods just in time!
That's good about SEC, but remember his earmarks went to more than building projects. This is a list of the earmarks from the last federal spending bill that targeted UA specifically:
UA science and engineering complex, $40.25 million, sponsor Sen. Richard Shelby
UA weather and hydrology center, $14 million, Shelby
UA business development research, $1 million, Shelby/ Rep. Spencer Bachus/ Sen. Jeff Sessions
UA aerospace vehicle research, $500,000, Shelby
UA West Alabama Autism Outreach Center, $355,000, Rep. Jo Bonner
UA unmanned aerial vehicle research, $350,000, Rep. Robert Aderholt/ Bachus
UA domestic violence law clinic, $300,000, Shelby/ Sessions/ Aderholt
UA after school delinquency prevention program, $150,000, Shelby
This bland edifice will go up at the end of Jackson Avenue, which is the road that juts off Bryant Dr. across of the Alabama Credit Union headquarters and just to the east of the law school.
* SEC Phase IV will sit between MIB (H.M. Comer Hall) and Shelby Hall (SEC I). The back wings of MIB will be razed and the the remaining front wing will connect to Phase IV. Phase IV will cost $70m to construct, $40m from earmarks and will open in 2014.
* The softball complex, including the under-construction practice facility will be rechristened the "John and Ann Rhoads Softball Complex" for the long-time athletics supporters.
Here's a rendering of what the area of the SEC is going to look like once SEC Phase IV is completed.
You'll notice the Phase IV will connect to the front wing of HM Comer (the back wings will be razed) and a road will be built to connect Campus Dr. East to 7th Ave.
Quote:
The three-story, 208,000-square-foot facility [referring to Phase III] will serve engineering students and will have tall research labs meant to study applications in fuels and combustion research, according to board documents.
The fourth building is planned to host a range of engineering research labs, including bioengineering.
Also, I think the parking lot across from the Ferg, despite being intact in the rendering, will go away in favor of a northern quad and a compete reconnection of Campus Dr. E & W.
Also, I think the parking lot across from the Ferg, despite being intact in the rendering, will go away in favor of a northern quad and a compete reconnection of Campus Dr. E & W.
I dunno when they're gonna do that. I don't see it happening too soon though. There isn't yet adequate parking space to take over once that lot is gone. It's in the master plan, and they've been goin by it pretty good for the past few years, so I guess we'll see what happens. I'm betting we'll be hearing about some kind of parking announcement about that soon though.
A agreement by Congressional Republican members to stop earmarking federal money for projects could mean a loss of potential funding for the University of Alabama, but shouldn't affect the activities on campus, UA's head of research said.
“While earmark funding has supported a number of activities on campus, we are confident that a ban on earmarks will not significantly slow the university's growth or appreciably hinder expansion of its research and service activities,” said Joe Benson, vice president for research, in an e-mail.
UA is among the most successful institutions in the nation in receiving earmarks, topping all universities with $58.8 million in Congressional earmarks in 2010, according to a report published by Inside Higher Ed, an online higher education newsmagazine.
Here are some photos I took of the new Capstone College of Nursing building today. Again, these won't be displayed in any photography exhibits anytime soon.
The main lecture hall on the ground floor:
One of the larger classrooms on the first floor:
The student lounge on the first floor:
One of the practice labs in the second floor:
Some photos I tried (unsuccessfully) to take of the atrium:
The idea to implement student lounges are great in modern educational buildings. Common meeting space great for casual interaction and study groups while leaving places like libraries for more intense individual study.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ttownfeen
That's just creepy...but I guess if your a student your used too it.
__________________ "Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans. Aim high in hope and work. Remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die."
I have been somewhat confused about these earmarks for UA. I read that article Feeno posted in the past, but have been hearing about Shelby's attempts to get another $30 million for UA in the latest Omnibus bill. From what I can gather, it looks like Shelby got $40 million for the Fourth Phase of the SEC in late 2009. He was trying to get another $30 million for that same final phase in the 2011 Omnibus Bill that Harry Reid withdrew. Thus, the fourth phase is mostly paid for, but that extra $30 million surely would have been appreciated by UA administration.
I wonder if a school is required to build a project once 40/70 of the project has been paid for? Even if the school says it cant afford selling bonds to finance the rest of the project? Does this put UA in a bind? I wonder if Shelby got more money overall for UA than AU, and if not, how was he able to be so blatantly pro UA?
I meant to say, "if so", as in if Shelby did get UA more funding than AU, then how did he get away with it, politically. I would think the AU folks would be very upset.