University of Alabama plans $450 million in construction work this summer, affecting roads

When the kids are away, the jackhammers go into play.

At the University of Alabama, it's not just football falls that draw traffic, but basketball and gymnastics winters, baseball and softball springs, and of course tens of thousands of year-round students in non-athletic fields. Recent fall and winter semesters have seen UA student enrollment soar to almost 40,000, but May's three weeks of interim holds just a small fraction of that, as do two five-week summer semesters.

More: By the numbers: A look at spring 2024 graduates from the University of Alabama

Some degree of construction-related diversion can be lessened by ramping up during less-active spans, so if you're cutting through campus anticipating a short route, sans traffic, you may be chagrined to see re-routing, and Tuscaloosa's most confounding — and yet promising — mascot, the orange cone.

There will be roughly 1,000 construction workers on campus at peak, involved in more than 80 active projects, including four major road closures and numerous building and renovation work, adding up to about $450 million invested. Much that seemed to spring up in recent weeks involve do it now or do it later infrastructure; the rest includes progress on long-in-development major construction.

"We always work very intentionally to minimize the impact to the campus community. And this time of year is the best time to do that," said Tim Leopard, senior associate vice president for campus development. "... the weather's better, and the workers can work more efficiently and effectively, and safely, without everybody moving around campus.

"It is very intense, in a short duration, so it's a lot of work for them to get done, but then they get to take a little breather in August."

Those wishing to navigate the campus in advance can visit www.buildingbama.ua.edu, which is updated regularly; readers can subscribe to receive emailed updates on projects.

"That is very informative and it's dynamic," Leopard said. "We're moving the closures on a daily basis. So that's the best way to know what's going on."

The Building Bama site can also inform about the largest-scale projects, such as:

• The $47,750,000 golf facility, off Jack Warner Parkway along each side of Kicker Road, where construction is expected to be complete later this summer, with an opening planned for fall;

• The $183 million athletics arena, planned as a 10,136 seat, 258,626-gross square foot facility, but still in early stages;

• The $96 million, 40,000 gross square foot computing and data center, with bids opening in September;

• The $94,683,000 Peter Bryce Main renovation, with construction expected to be complete in November;

• The related $133 million Smith Family Center for the Performing Arts;

• The $5 million University Boulevard, Hackberry to Sixth Avenue infrastructure and security, begun this month, and due to finish in August;

• Or the $15 million Colonial Drive and University Boulevard infrastructure and improvements, among those most currently visible, having begun in April, and expected to be finished by end of summer.

The latter's one of the most complex, labor-intensive and expensive infrastructure jobs, Leopard said.

"There's several different infrastructure systems the contractor is working on," including storm sewer, electrical and other lines, "and it's a long project, so they have to work from one end to the other, and everything's got to connect up at the end."

Another highly visible project underway in recent years, the historic University Club at 421 Queen City Avenue, is almost ready to open, with its extensive renovations and extensions nearing completion, at a cost of about $17,430,000. A grand opening is being planned for early June.

The Randall Welcome Center, heart of the Bryce Main renovations, opened in December, with second and third floor work underway now. That's expected to open in January 2025.

Foundation work is currently underway for the Smith Center, with construction bids for vertical work going out in June, Leopard said.

"That will be one of the most significant projects this campus has ever seen," he said.

The performing arts center, planned for completion in late 2026, with an opening event in 2027, will hold performing spaces, venues and studios, with classrooms, offices and more for Theatre and Dance, a department that's grown from 135 to 299 students over the past 10 years, without any new facilities added.

Reach Mark Hughes Cobb at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: University of Alabama works on $450 million in construction projects