University of Alabama updates

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Ok, so Merideth Manor (the apartment "complex" on Hackberry next to Jack's) has been demolished. It's looking like some site prep has started but I don't know anything about what Rumsey (the land owners) intend it to be.

Either way, prime realestate.

[bamastu13]

I thought that property is owned by H.A. Edwards. I know they leased out those apartments. Regardless, I bet they'll build another one of those larger apartments like Rockport.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

They seem to be doing a lot of prep work on the Bryce property. The most obvious work being done is 1) a few locations that should be part of the future "parkway" linking 5th (where it ends at Campus Dr.) to Hackberry, and 2) a renovation of one of the buildings that sits behind the National Water Center (both of which are almost finished).

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Alabama to present plans for major overhaul to Sewell-Thomas Stadium at upcoming BOT meeting

By Andrew Gribble
AL.com
LINK

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Alabama athletics director Bill Battle will present a plan for expansive renovations to Sewell-Thomas Stadium at next week's UA System Board of Trustees meeting.

Battle confirmed the plans to AL.com during an interview Thursday. He called it a "rebuild that will satisfy people."

"I think it will take our baseball stadium from one of the lowest rankings in the SEC to one of the highest," Battle said. "I think it will be very fan-friendly.

"The big ifs are if it gets approved by the board and if we can raise enough money to get it going. We're optimistic on both fronts."

Battle declined to provide an estimated cost for the project. The athletic department can not raise funds for the project unless it is approved by the Board, which meets next Thursday and Friday in Tuscaloosa.

"Hopefully when it is," Battle said, "we'll hit the ground running."

The Tuscaloosa News first wrote about the potential overhaul of the 65-year-old baseball stadium in May. Citing anonymous sources, it estimated that the project could cost as much as $30 million.

The stadium underwent major renovations in 1996 and 2001. A video board was added in 2007 and Alabama's clubhouse, meetings rooms, coaches locker rooms and team rooms were completely renovated in 2010.

Battle said Thursday that the planning for this project dates back several years. An alternate location was considered, but cost and the attractiveness of the stadium's current location -- which sits in front of Coleman Coliseum and adjacent to the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility on Paul W. Bryant Drive -- made renovation the best option.

Alabama will officially unveil the Sarah Patterson Champions Plaza next month. The shrine to Alabama's past SEC and national champions sits behind Sewell-Thomas Stadium's right-field fence and will give fans another view to watch the baseball team.

"We think we've got everything we need to make it at the top of the league," Battle said. "We can use the infrastructure that's in place, the base infrastructure, but everything else will be totally new and it will look a lot different."

[atlanta68]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...NEWS/130919841 $ Multi-million renovation projects ahead for two important academic buildings, Houser and the Biology Building. A new parking deck for south campus behind Martha Parham, and renovations to two buildings on Bryce campus among some of the projects approved by the board in September.

Does anyone know when the expansion/renovation of the north side of Gorgas Library will start? Very curious to see what that will look like when completed.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

FINALLY. Our department (Geography) is supposed to take over the Biology Building once it's renovated; many of our research labs are already over there.

I've been wondering about the Gorgas expansion/renovation. I thought it would have already begun by now... maybe costs associated with the Bryce property are more urgent than originally thought and they had to reallocate the money?

[atlanta68]

This last Saturday night, I was at Bryant Denny Stadium and went out to the breezeway concourse during halftime to look at the campus from the high view. I noticed what looked like a glowing dome that seemed fairly close but behind the the Ferguson Center and Shelby Hall. It wasn't Shelby's dome, cause I saw that one. Is this the dome on the new NOAA, the Water Center? It seemed too close to be that, but can't think of any other building with a dome.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by atlanta68

This last Saturday night, I was at Bryant Denny Stadium and went out to the breezeway concourse during halftime to look at the campus from the high view. I noticed what looked like a glowing dome that seemed fairly close but behind the the Ferguson Center and Shelby Hall. It wasn't Shelby's dome, cause I saw that one. Is this the dome on the new NOAA, the Water Center? It seemed too close to be that, but can't think of any other building with a dome.

That's practically the only thing it could be, it does have a copper colored dome.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Here are some updates on projects around campus.

New Fresh Food dining hall at the intersection of Hackberry and Margaret Dr.





NOAA National Water Center





Presidential Village Phase II; larger building is housing, smaller one in the middle is a new student center which will feature dining, recreation facilities, and women's crew facilities. A new boathouse (that I didn't photograph) for the women's crew team is under construction across Jack Warner at the Park at Manderson Landing.





Ferguson Center construction; first image is the Crimson Promenade entrance, second image is the entrance facing Woods Hall.

[atlanta68]

Thanks! Has the university opened up the Bryce property yet?

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by atlanta68

Thanks! Has the university opened up the Bryce property yet?

Not yet. They're still waiting for construction on the new state psychiatric hospital to finish over on the old Partlow property. The structures are all finished, but I haven't really seen any activity over the past few weeks. Of course, there are a few buildings on the Bryce property that were unused by the hospital that the University has already renovated, but the large buildings haven't been touched as far as I know.

[atlanta68]

I would love to see pics of those renovations on the Bryce portion of campus. Thanks for sharing your pics.

[atlanta68]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...c=cr#gsc.tab=0 UA Board offered preliminary approval yesterday for plans for a $31.4 million new academic building, to be built on the Old Bryce property next to the new Engineering Complex.

Anyone seen what the north side of Gorgas Library will look like once renovated and expanded?

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by atlanta68

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...c=cr#gsc.tab=0 UA Board offered preliminary approval yesterday for plans for a $31.4 million new academic building, to be built on the Old Bryce property next to the new Engineering Complex.

Anyone seen what the north side of Gorgas Library will look like once renovated and expanded?

Haven't seen or heard a damn thing. When they first announced the expansion, they mentioned that it would be made to blend in better with the rest of campus, so I'm assuming it won't be another 60s era facade.

[atlanta68]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...40409857?tc=cr

"University of Alabama trustees to consider issuing $236M in bonds" by Ed Enoch, in the Tuscaloosa News

The Board is set to consider a $60 million Performing Arts Center on the Bryce part of campus. They will also consider several other construction projects, including the renovation of Houser Hall, and the renovation of the Old Admissions building at Bryce. Theater and Dance Dept. would move out of Rowand Johnson, into both the new Performing Arts Center as well as the Old Admissions bldg. I imagine that could open up space for a new academic building where Rowan Johnson now stands.

Board is also considering more money for the new Rec Center at Presidential Village, and the baseball stadium expansion.

Anyone who has new pictures of campus construction, please post. Thanks.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Originally Posted by atlanta68

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...40409857?tc=cr

"University of Alabama trustees to consider issuing $236M in bonds" by Ed Enoch, in the Tuscaloosa News

The Board is set to consider a $60 million Performing Arts Center on the Bryce part of campus. They will also consider several other construction projects, including the renovation of Houser Hall, and the renovation of the Old Admissions building at Bryce. Theater and Dance Dept. would move out of Rowand Johnson, into both the new Performing Arts Center as well as the Old Admissions bldg. I imagine that could open up space for a new academic building where Rowan Johnson now stands.

Board is also considering more money for the new Rec Center at Presidential Village, and the baseball stadium expansion.

Anyone who has new pictures of campus construction, please post. Thanks.

I'll try to go around this weekend and take some. A lot has changed since I last made an update.

[atlanta68]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...NEWS/140409818 The Board approved all of the proposed projects. It was a very long list, and costs a lot of money. In the article, it says that construction on the Perf. Arts Center will take about two years to begin.

[SpawnOfVulcan]

Here are some pictures taken by myself:















FERG CONSTRUCTION

NEW PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL





WOMENS' CREW HEADQUARTERS (sorry I couldn't get a better shot)



NATIONAL WATER CENTER:

[atlanta68]

Fabulous pics, thanks so much. The NOAA building and the Shelby Quad are gorgeous. The Ferg is going to look really great.

[ttownfeen]

Hmm...bland brick, concrete & glass facade? Check. Columns out of the rear end? Check. Ruining the Ferg's unique (to this campus) layout which this weird annex? Check.

Just another day in modern UA architecture. *gag*