University of Alabama updates - Page 14

SpawnOfVulcan · #**261** Posted **Aug 7, 2013, 4:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttownfeen

Thanks, but that Ferg sketch is so...wanting. Where are the 360 degree architectural renderings that usually accompany projects such as these?

Very good question. I've been wanting to know what the Gorgas expansion will look like, too.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**262** Posted **Aug 11, 2013, 7:01 PM**

Campus construction updates

The University repaired the random-ass steps on The Quad and posted a thingy to let you know that they're not necessarily random-ass.

On to the Shelby Quad:

Progress on the fountain; this thing was supposed to be finishing up right about now, but frequent weather delays have slowed construction.

They've replaced the lights that lit up Shelby Hall at night (the ones at the tops of those posts that used to stand right in front of the building) with this larger lights on the SEC, SERC, and I'm sure a future one on the to be completed NERC.

View west, along the pedestrian corridor that goes between the SERC and the to be completed NERC/HM Comer (you're looking toward downtown from Shelby).

The to be completed NERC is on the left and Shelby Hall is on the right.

Progress on The Ferg expansion.

View east along the pedestrian corridor between the SERC (on the right) and the NERC/HM Comer (on the left).

View, toward Bryce, of the rear of the to be completed NERC, the north side of the building.

View, toward the Black Warrior, of the rear of the to be completed NERC, the north side of the building.

The new pedestrian bridge connecting the Riverside community with the traffic circle on the north side of the engineering area of campus. This bridge is a few feet wider than the bridge it replaces.

Riverside Parking Deck on the left, NOAA National Water Center on the right.

Riverside Parking Deck, looking south.

Second Presidential Village residential building; you can barely see it, but the new student center (dining hall, rec center) is under construction between the two large residential buildings. There are currently 3 cranes at the site.

Bridge connecting the Riverside Parking Deck to The Highlands parking lot.

View of the Riverside Parking Deck looking west.

NOAA National Water Center; as you can see, they've begun assembling the columns.

And finally, ten Hoor Hall renovation progress. It appears that most everything on the interior of the building is completed, but they've torn up the front steps and sidewalks (thank God) I presume to put something that is a bit more visually pleasing (maybe something green...). Either way, they better hurry up since ten Hoor is the most used building on campus.

That's all for now, I expect that all of these projects (except for the 2nd Presidential Village residential building and the new student center and The Ferg) will be completed by Aug 21st, the first day of classes, so I'll try and make my way around again to snap some updates.

I say every summer that I this is the most construction I've ever seen on campus; each summer I'm exactly correct. I've been here for 6 years and each summer's construction activity is more than the previous.

BTW, if you stand at the highest point in the Rec Center parking lot, you can see 5 cranes. 1 downtown, constructing the Embassy Suites; 1 at The Ferg; and 3 at the Presidential Village. That isn't even to mention the smaller cranes being used at the NOAA National Water Center and other construction sites around Tuscaloosa.

atlanta68 · #**263** Posted **Aug 12, 2013, 3:52 PM**

Quattordici,

You are awesome! I really appreciate these pics. It is really fun to be able to keep track of the progress on campus.

One thing I don't understand: Why did Charles Karr insist on keeping the old building attached to the new NERC?

By the way, when will we be able to visit the Bryce campus? I am so curious to see a set of photos from there. From what I have seen, there are several really nice older buildings and more modern, functional buildings that aren't that attractive.

Will we get to tailgate there I wonder?

rolltide2013 · #**264** Posted **Aug 12, 2013, 4:20 PM**

I'd like to thank quattordici also.

The parts of HM Comer they cut off to be able to attach NERC were the newest parts of the building. So, it does seem strange they decided to keep the building attached. It seems like it would have been easier, and maybe cheaper, to just raze the building and make NERC bigger... I hope there are plans to renovate HM Comer, as well as Houser and Hardaway. Those buildings are in pretty horrible shape. HM Comer looks like some weird wart attached to the state of the art NERC to me... They must have some sort of plan. I hope they don't just finish the quad and then neglect engineering like they have done for years.

I bet tailgating on Bryce would get pretty "crazy" haha. The whole north part of campus is really coming together and looks awesome. The Shelby quad is going to be great when it's finished. I have doubts about it being finished by August 21st though.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**265** Posted **Aug 12, 2013, 4:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlanta68

Quattordici,

You are awesome! I really appreciate these pics. It is really fun to be able to keep track of the progress on campus.

One thing I don't understand: Why did Charles Karr insist on keeping the old building attached to the new NERC?

By the way, when will we be able to visit the Bryce campus? I am so curious to see a set of photos from there. From what I have seen, there are several really nice older buildings and more modern, functional buildings that aren't that attractive.

Will we get to tailgate there I wonder?

I'm pretty sure that as soon as the new mental health facility at the old Partlow site is finished the University takes control of the Bryce property. The new facility looks like it's pretty much finished, seems like things are winding down. So, I dunno, probably by the end of the year?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rolltide2013

I'd like to thank quattordici also.

The parts of HM Comer they cut off to be able to attach NERC were the newest parts of the building. So, it does seem strange they decided to keep the building attached. It seems like it would have been easier, and maybe cheaper, to just raze the building and make NERC bigger... I hope there are plans to renovate HM Comer, as well as Houser and Hardaway. Those buildings are in pretty horrible shape. HM Comer looks like some weird wart attached to the state of the art NERC to me... They must have some sort of plan. I hope they don't just finish the quad and then neglect engineering like they have done for years.

I bet tailgating on Bryce would get pretty "crazy" haha. The whole north part of campus is really coming together and looks awesome. The Shelby quad is going to be great when it's finished. I have doubts about it being finished by August 21st though.

As for the NERC being attached to HM Comer, I'd bet they probably have future plans to renovate it. I'm sure they did some kind of cost/benefit analysis on demolishing it and building a new "facade" in its place; it probably just came out to be more cost effective to keep the HM Comer portion and renovate it at a later date.

You're right, having things finished by Aug 21st does seem unlikely, save for maybe the fountain. However, the NERC appears almost move in ready and landscaping is nearly finished. I'm sure the University planned for everything to be finished by the first day of classes, so they're probably in a rush to get everything ready.

atlanta68 · #**266** Posted **Aug 14, 2013, 4:18 AM**

I was at an alumni meeting when I heard Charles Karr say that he INSISTED that the administration keep the old facade of HM Comer to honor UA Engineering's history. I think HE finds it attractive. Its ok, but I think a new facade would have looked much better. It simply doesn't match the new part. Oh well.

I think Hardaway still looks good, but Houser is an eyesore, relative to the new buildings in the SEC.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**267** Posted **Aug 14, 2013, 4:57 AM**

Houser is an absolute eyesore, but I do understand the urge to keep HM Comer's facade. It is probably the most prominent fixture among UA's (legacy) engineering buildings; I know my parents would feel a bit of sadness if they had to see it altered significantly.

Considering what you added, atlanta68, it really does seem like they may have plans to renovate what's left of the original HM Comer, which I am pretty happy with; it's traditional enough (which is what the University is going for these days). I mean, they spent a lot of money on transforming Russell Hall (which turned out great) into a more traditional looking building, but before they did it looked more 60s than Gallalee does now.

I'm still wondering why they allow Gallalee to look the way it does. I think the only thing that's kept them from overhauling it is that the interior is in pretty good shape and the exterior is reasonably (barely reasonably) traditional.

EDIT: Really, though, if they washed up the exterior of HM and enhanced the landscaping a bit, it'd look just as nice as the terminus of the SERC at that three way intersection at The Ferg and Paty/Engineering parking lot. They've really opened up the area around Clark, Manly, and Garland and they are starting to look great (a part of the Gorgas expansion project I imagine); so I don't doubt they're capable of doing the same along the engineering "row".

rolltide2013 · #**268** Posted **Aug 14, 2013, 11:46 AM**

It's not just the outside of HM Comer, but the inside as well. I don't know if either of you have been inside of the building lately, but it's awful. It has to be in the worse shape of any academic building on campus. The building doesn't even have central air or hot water. I understand Dr. Karr wanting to preserve the iconic nature of HM Comer, but it just seems like the building is a pos that will take a lot of money to fix over the years. The side of the building looks really bad to me too, with window air conditioners hanging out of cheap windows that look to be falling apart. Oh well, I just hope they do a major renovation to it along the likes of Russel. Same with Houser too. Walk in those buildings and its easy to see why Auburn has enjoyed a higher ranked engineering program over the years haha. Hopefully that will change soon enough.

Also, the back wings they chopped off of HM Comer were the newest parts of the building and had recently been renovated and fitted with really nice computer labs... So, that was a complete waste of money. I know that the Chemical Engineering Department has actually lost lab space with the new science and engineering complex since much of the new part of HM Comer was ChemE labs, at least according to my professors. I'm sure they'll get it all straightened out in time.

I also agree with you about Gallelee looking a little to much non traditional (doesn't have bigass columns). The inside of Gallalee does appear to be in excellent shape though.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**269** Posted **Aug 14, 2013, 3:40 PM**

Oh I've been in HM plenty of times, like I said, in sure their leaving that portion standing has something to do with some kind of plan to renovate the interior; I don't imagine they would leave it as is considering their efforts to invest in sciences and engineering.

ttownfeen · #**270** Posted **Aug 14, 2013, 10:38 PM**

I do miss MIB (no idea what this HM Comer is...). I have many memories of time spent in the decript ChemE labs. And in the antediluvian third floor lounge/computer lab. (I believe each department having its own computer lab and student lounge are a thing of the past.) And with the Beast.

I wondered around the NERC the other day, and I have to say it's the nicest one yet. It has a huge atrium at the center of the east-west wing that goes all the way to the basement. I like it much more than the cavernous Shelby Hall dome-atrium.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**271** Posted **Aug 14, 2013, 11:59 PM**

My parents never explained it to me, ttownfeen, why do they call it MIB?

atlanta68 · #**272** Posted **Aug 15, 2013, 2:22 AM**

"EDIT: Really, though, if they washed up the exterior of HM and enhanced the landscaping a bit, it'd look just as nice as the terminus of the SERC at that three way intersection at The Ferg and Paty/Engineering parking lot. They've really opened up the area around Clark, Manly, and Garland and they are starting to look great (a part of the Gorgas expansion project I imagine); so I don't doubt they're capable of doing the same along the engineering "row"."

Quattordici, I don't understand what you are talking about in relation to Clark, Manly and Garland. "They've really opened up the area..." huh? Please explain. Thanks.

I am looking forward to seeing no more cars behind the Gorgas Library. Such a shame that the symmetry of the area has been obscured for years by that ugly parking lot and asphalt from Morgan to Smith.

UA students really have no idea how car friendly UA is compared to other big schools like UCLA and Florida State.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**273** Posted **Aug 15, 2013, 3:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlanta68

Quattordici, I don't understand what you are talking about in relation to Clark, Manly and Garland. "They've really opened up the area..." huh? Please explain. Thanks.

I am looking forward to seeing no more cars behind the Gorgas Library. Such a shame that the symmetry of the area has been obscured for years by that ugly parking lot and asphalt from Morgan to Smith.

UA students really have no idea how car friendly UA is compared to other big schools like UCLA and Florida State.

They've just cut a tree or two down, really. It doesn't sound like much but more grass is growing and the area feels more inviting.

I too am ready to see all of that parking go. They've been wanting to turn that area into a pedestrian mall for years; maybe they just decided to wait until they construct the Gorgas expansion?

ttownfeen · #**274** Posted **Aug 16, 2013, 7:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by quattordici

My parents never explained it to me, ttownfeen, why do they call it MIB?

MIB = Mineral Industries Building

Among the departments that were once housed there were chemical engineering, petroleum engineering, and mining & minerals engineering.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**275** Posted **Aug 17, 2013, 7:59 PM**

I was bored out of my mind today, so I walked around campus a bit:

Rendering for The Ferg expansion. I'm glad they're removing a lot of the parking between Woods and The Ferg.

They took down the fencing in the Shelby Quad that enclosed the construction zone. I was able to get a closer look at the basin for the water fountain and indeed, it is as about as large as the Shelby Hall rotunda.

Closer view of the finished Riverside pedestrian bridge. It is much larger than the old one, about twice as wide if I remember correctly; it's also lit.

rolltide2013 · #**276** Posted **Aug 17, 2013, 9:44 PM**

Thanks for the pictures. I'm really glad you found a rendering for the ferg expansion. I think it looks awesome.

ttownfeen · #**277** Posted **Aug 19, 2013, 3:37 PM**

Thank Zeus for a proper rendering.

I love the atrium. The pyramid is a bold constrast to the the domes that are prevalent elsewhere on campus, an homage to the Ferg's rapidly disappearing Modernist exterior. The new entrance also faces the promenade head on, which establishes a direct connection between the Ferg and the promenade as opposed to the existing oblique entrance dating from the days when the McCorvey Drive ran straight through what is now the promenade.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**278** Posted **Aug 21, 2013, 3:41 AM**

The fountain's finished!

atlanta68 · #**279** Posted **Aug 21, 2013, 1:29 PM**

Wow, stunning. Love it.

SpawnOfVulcan · #**280** Posted **Aug 21, 2013, 1:57 PM**

When I first saw it I was kind of unimpressed, but when the cycle came around that was a bit higher, it was kinda nice.