University of Alabama updates - Page 9

bamastu13 · #**161** Posted **Oct 28, 2011, 1:47 PM**

The building behind Russell is an energy station. It isn't going to be a part of Russel, though I do think they are also working on that expansion as well.

ttownfeen · #**162** Posted **Oct 28, 2011, 10:57 PM**

That thing going up behind Russell Hall is a steam plant or something of that nature. It's not part of the Russell expansion.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**163** Posted **Oct 29, 2011, 1:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttownfeen

That thing going up behind Russell Hall is a steam plant or something of that nature. It's not part of the Russell expansion.

Yea, it's called the "East Quad Energy Plant." All the utility work we saw before this semester started was to get all that hooked up to the plant.

ttownfeen · #**164** Posted **Nov 10, 2011, 1:28 AM**

New projects given okay by the BOT last week.

1. New on-campus dining hall to supplement existing facilities. $15m

2. New fraternity house. $6

3. New parking lot on the periphery of campus

SpawnOfVulcan · #**165** Posted **Nov 10, 2011, 5:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttownfeen

New projects given okay by the BOT last week.

1. New on-campus dining hall to supplement existing facilities. $15m

2. New fraternity house. $6

3. New parking lot on the periphery of campus

Where's that parking lot supposed to be?

Makes me angry that I won't be around to enjoy all this... stupid graduation.

DruidCity · #**166** Posted **Nov 10, 2011, 4:01 PM**

Quote:

Where's that parking lot supposed to be?

Behind the new nursing building across from DCH - 1,000 spaces.

ttownfeen · #**167** Posted **Nov 10, 2011, 9:24 PM**

Yeah, like I said, the hinterlands.

Also, parking lots are concrete nightmares. I misread the article first and thought it was a 1000-car parking deck, at first. Little did I know it was too early to get my hopes up.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**168** Posted **Nov 11, 2011, 1:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttownfeen

Yeah, like I said, the hinterlands.

Also, parking lots are concrete nightmares. I misread the article first and thought it was a 1000-car parking deck, at first. Little did I know it was too early to get my hopes up.

You should never get your hopes up with UA and parking structure. They love their lots. UA is like a toddler with candy, "Mine, mine! All mine!" Except... with parking.

bamastu13 · #**169** Posted **Nov 11, 2011, 3:58 PM**

The parking lot by the nursing building is actually very much needed. The only lot we have up there is reserved for faculty only and the nursing students have to park at either the child development center or the rec. There is plenty of unused space up there as well.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**170** Posted **Nov 11, 2011, 7:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamastu13

The parking lot by the nursing building is actually very much needed. The only lot we have up there is reserved for faculty only and the nursing students have to park at either the child development center or the rec. There is plenty of unused space up there as well.

I'm sure that parking is needed, it's just that I wish the University would come up with something more innovative than a parking lot... The 5 years I've been here, and all they do is build a flat field of asphalt.

ttownfeen · #**171** Posted **Nov 12, 2011, 12:45 AM**

RVs and parking decks don't mix well, after all.

DruidCity · #**172** Posted **Nov 14, 2011, 11:35 PM**

2012 campus master plan:
http://www.uafacilities.ua.edu/plann...an-update.html

bamastu13 · #**173** Posted **Nov 15, 2011, 7:47 AM**

I'm pretty impressed with the new master plan. Several new parking decks will definitely be good for parking, especially as the University keeps growing. I like how we will be using the back of Bryce for dorms, that is definitely a good use of the space. The main building on that property is also going to be well utilized and I can't wait to see it after it has been renovated. All of the proposals on the plan are very exciting and I hope they are able to come to fruition one day!

DruidCity · #**174** Posted **Nov 15, 2011, 4:03 PM**

I agree. I really like that the plans call for maintaining a lot of green space, and I like the crosswalk to the river park. That

The idea to consolidate museums into the main Bryce building is intriguing.
The natural history museum has been in Smith Hall forever.

I also wonder what plans the university has for acquiring even more land ? It's a very large university to not have any sort of "research park," for instance, and there are big chunks of empty land all over town now, and record-low interest rates.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**175** Posted **Nov 15, 2011, 4:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DruidCity

I agree. I really like that the plans call for maintaining a lot of green space, and I like the crosswalk to the river park. That

The idea to consolidate museums into the main Bryce building is intriguing.
The natural history museum has been in Smith Hall forever.

I also wonder what plans the university has for acquiring even more land ? It's a very large university to not have any sort of "research park," for instance, and there are big chunks of empty land all over town now, and record-low interest rates.

There's a lot of space at Bryce for a good research park. I think they'd be able to create a lot of room if they'd just reorganize a few things on the property in the plan.

Anyways, I too like the greenspace, I love the lawns they're planning.

Some things I noticed:

- Seems like they're going to plant a pretty dense forest/grove at the Shelby Corridor.

- Looks like they've decided to keep a lot of the Bryce buildings. I was under the impression that before, they were only going to be keeping the old main.

- Seems like they're trying to create a MAJOR focus on the main Bryce building. Lots of pedestrian corridors, plus space usage plans are making it seem like it's going to rival the Quad.

- SO MANY PARKING DECKS

ttownfeen · #**176** Posted **Nov 16, 2011, 6:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DruidCity

t's a very large university to not have any sort of "research park," for instance, and there are big chunks of empty land all over town now, and record-low interest rates.

A long, long time ago, during the tenure of Dr. Joab Thomas, I think, the master plan called for a "research park" about where the med school branch is now located. My guess about why that was scrapped is that UA does not churn out a lot of research that can be spun off into incubators and start-ups. Even with the ramp-up of spending in the hard sciences and engineering, UA still remains a heavy lib arts-humanities-business university.

DruidCity · #**177** Posted **Nov 16, 2011, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

My guess about why that was scrapped is that UA does not churn out a lot of research that can be spun off into incubators and start-ups. Even with the ramp-up of spending in the hard sciences and engineering, UA still remains a heavy lib arts-humanities-business university.

That is true, and I know that the current chancellor of the UA System was against the idea of a university research park in Tuscaloosa for that reason.
However, I was thinking along the lines of what USA did in Mobile - not necessarily just university startups and spinoffs, but a place to lure existing high-tech companies.

USA's park started about 10 years ago, by drawing in an out-of-state company called Mentor Graphics, and has added a bunch of smaller concerns since:
http://usatechpark.southalabama.edu/parkpartners.html.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**178** Posted **Jan 5, 2012, 11:58 PM**

They're remodeling "The Dixie" on the strip to contain both a Waffle House and an entertainment with the name of the former venue "The Jupiter". Can't wait. I think Waffle House is a pretty good addition. It'll be nice to have a 24hr place down there.

ttownfeen · #**179** Posted **Jan 31, 2012, 7:56 AM**

New engineering complex leads campus renovations

Didn't realize SEC Phase III had already opened. Time to break out the camera for some photos.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**180** Posted **Jan 31, 2012, 9:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttownfeen

New engineering complex leads campus renovations

Didn't realize SEC Phase III had already opened. Time to break out the camera for some photos.

Hahaha, I may just beat you to it... Phase IV has already started construction! I think we should have a Tuscaloosa meet up, before I start my temporary job (if I ever get one).