By Lindsey Coulter 

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Earlier this month, the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, celebrated a milestone in the construction of the new Smith Family Center for Performing Arts. University representatives and members of the project team gathered for the project’s topping out ceremony as the final vertical beam was added to the building’s structure. Serving as the new home for the university’s Department of Theatre and Dance, the project is expected to be completed by November 2026 after breaking ground in 2023.

When complete, the 130,088-square-foot Smith Family Center for Performing Arts will provide a performance venue for the Department of Theatre and Dance, consolidating all of the department’s performances and academic functions into a single area of campus. The building will hold a 350-seat drama theater, a 450-seat dance theater and a 250-seat studio theater. These performance spaces will allow for an intimate artist-to-audience connections. Meanwhile, costume, scenery, production and lighting studios sized and equipped to match commercial studios will ensure that design and technical students experience a seamless transition into the professional world. Adjustable acoustics in the drama theatres and precisely engineered floors for dance will allow faculty to train students in facilities equivalent to the ones in which they will be working as professionals. Faculty offices and classrooms for the department will be relocated to the Peter Bryce Main building, which will be connected to the Smith Family Center by its new lobby.

HPM is providing program and project management for construction of the center, working to oversee budget control, scheduling and project management through every phase of construction from planning to closeout. TurnerBatson Architects is serving as the architect on the project, while M.J. Harris Construction Services LLC is serving as the general contractor.

“The Smith Family Center for Performing Arts will be a centerpiece for creativity and learning on campus, and reaching the topping out is a testament to our teams’ expertise and dedication to getting the job done on time,” said Austin Fisher, senior project manager at HPM, in a statement. We look forward to bringing the vision for this facility to life and delivering a space that will inspire generations of students, faculty members and audiences.”

The Performing Arts Academic Center is intended to be a marquee public space for the campus community as well as visitors, bringing student artists, faculty mentors, arts lovers, community members and visitors together to explore the arts in a one-of-a-kind facility.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for Residence Hall 2020, a facility that will help the school meet the increased demand of on-campus housing.

Plans for the new residence hall allow for more than 730 students to join the 2,880 students housed in UAB’s six other residence halls.

“Our undergraduate enrollment continues to grow, and the next phase of on-campus development and growth is ready to begin,” said John Jones, Ph.D., vice president of Student Affairs. “The need for this new residence hall sends a phenomenal message to our future students in that we continue to be committed to provide a robust university experience through our residence life opportunities. Providing a residential component where students live together on campus creates communities across undergraduate academic disciplines and fuels our collegial and creative environment and further enhances the overall student experience at UAB.”

The Residence Hall 2020 project architect is Goodwyn Mills and Cawood, Inc. The general contractor is M.J. Harris Construction Services, LLC. The facility has been designed intentionally to ensure sustainability is a priority, and it will become UAB’s first LEED silver building.

The 231,000-square-foot residence hall will mirror the location of the New Freshman Residence Hall and will be built near the Campus Green on property owned by UAB — the south half of the block bordered by ninth and 10th avenues south and 16th and 17th streets. The U-shaped building will consist of dedicated study spaces, a storm shelter, multi-use office space, and a dining venue with three food vendors and seating capacity for 250.

“This is truly a win for our students,” said Marc Booker, director of Student Housing. “The residence halls play an integral role of providing transformational experiences for UAB undergraduate students as they pursue academic success and prepare for life beyond the campus. This new hall will enable us to serve, engage and retain more students than ever before.”

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