Estimated read time: 5-6 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Buildings shrouded last fall in scaffolding were open as University of Alabama students returned to campus for the 2014 fall semester.
The university has substantially completed work on a renovation and expansion of the Ferguson Student Center, a new $32 million student activity center, a $62.8 million residence hall and a new location for the Fresh Food Co. UA also completed work this summer on Sidney McDonald Hall, the new $13.3 administrative building for the UA system.
UA is also wrapping up work on a new $4.65 million facility for the women's rowing team at Manderson Landing.
The university added about 75,000 square feet to the Ferguson Center. The $45.1 million addition and renovation to the student center was approved in 2011, and work began in 2013.
The project aired out the food court on the second floor, expanded the SUPe Store on the first floor, expanded the Career Center and added new offices and a new main entrance on the south side of the building.
The SUPe Store increased its floor space from 26,000 square feet to 44,000 square feet.
On the second floor, more seating space was added in the food court, which was expanded into the space formerly occupied by the Fresh Food Co., and the help desk that previously sat inside the west entrance was moved.
"It really just opens up the space so much more," said Steve Hood, interim vice president for Student Affairs.
UA Dining Services added Auntie Anne's pretzels, Panda Express and Wendy's restaurants in Ferguson as part of the renovations. The Fresh Food Co., which previously occupied the space, moved to a new $15.6-million free-standing building near the Rogers Library for Science and Engineering.
The center's Chick-fil-A store and Union Market were expanded. The center's food options still include Subway and Topio's, though Burger King was removed in favor of Wendy's.
"Really what we are finding is national brands are the way to go," said A.J. DeFalco, district manager for Dining Services.
The Ferguson's new southwest entrance was still blocked off by chain-link fences as classes resumed Wednesday but was open by the end of the week. Workers were finishing the installation of sod and other final touches.
"It will really be a dramatic change for us," Hood said of the new entrance from the promenade.
The entrance, with a large university seal set in the floor of the foyer, leads onto the second floor and a series of new offices that house the Student Government Association, the Office of the Dean of Students, Fraternity and Sorority Life and the Blackburn Institute.
The south side of the building is also home to the "great hall," a gathering space with large fire places and windows looking out onto a columned porch.
It's meant to be a comfortable space for students to gather, Hood said.
The Career Center on the third floor overlooks the great hall. The move and expansion makes the office more visible and welcoming, according to executive director Travis Railsback.
The office increased its interview rooms from 11 to 18. The office had roughly 6,000 students through the office last year for one-on-one meetings and 16,000 for group sessions, Railsback said. The office was host to about 4,000 interviews between students and potential employers.
The new Student Activity Center at the Presidential Village opened about two weeks before students returned.
"Right out of the chute we are getting about 1,500 a day," said George Brown, executive director of university recreation.
It's about 5,000 a day across all of the center's various platforms from weights and cardiovascular exercise equipment, to basketball courts and climbing walls, Brown said.
The new center on the north side of campus opened Aug. 4. The adjacent $62.8-million second phase of the Presidential Village residential community also opened in time for the start of the fall semester.
While construction is substantially complete on the activity center, workers are still finishing construction of dining options, including a Fuel Smoothie Bar, grab-and-go convenience vending, a deli and a Starbucks Coffee on the first floor.
While the new facility was built with the intent of serving the Presidential Village and other residential communities on the north side of campus, the center is open to all with a recreation membership. The center adds about 85,000 square feet of recreation space the university's capacity.
Brown said complaints about crowding at the recreation center on the east side of campus also contributed to the decision to build the new center
On the first floor and second floors are a series of rooms and spaces devoted to strength and cardiovascular training. The university spent about $1 million on weight and fitness equipment for the new building. The new center has helped ease crowding at the recreation center.
"It's not so much we rebalanced where users go. ... We have grown new users," Brown said.
The second floor has three multipurpose courts, with one enclosed to serve as an indoor soccer field. The center also houses offices for the Housing and Residential Communities, and the Women's Rowing Team. The bottom floor is a FEMA-rated storm shelter capable of housing roughly 3,200 people, Brown said. The large bare concrete room can be used for other functions in fair weather as long as it can be cleared quickly in case of emergency, he said.
Just inside glass doors of the entrance to the activity center is a new climbing wall — a feature meant as an impressive introduction to the new center.
"We intentionally and very purposefully wanted it to be a wow factor," Brown said of the wall which rises almost to the skylight of the building.
___
Information from: The Tuscaloosa News, http://www.tuscaloosanews.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
