Campus buildings get a new look

Monica Nakashima, Staff Reporter

This story was featured in Horizons, a special edition of The Crimson White for freshmen and transfer students. Horizons can be found on newsstands across campus, or online here.

Construction is underway for several campus buildings Here are some of the most important new locations students should look out for. 

Hewson Hall

The Culverhouse College of Business is looking forward to its newest addition: Hewson Hall. Located next to the parking deck on Stadium Drive, the new business school complex will be within walking distance of Alston Hall and Bruno Library. 

According to Building Bama, Hewson Hall will provide classroom and office space to accommodate growth in both students and faculty. 

Plans for the building include 22 classrooms, 31 team collaboration rooms, several conference rooms and other gathering spaces. The majority of the building will be dedicated to education and training activities. The remaining areas will be used for office and tech support space. 

Hewson is scheduled to be completed before the beginning of the fall semester on Aug. 18. 

Parker Haun Tennis Facility

The University’s Adapted Athletics program is wrapping up construction on a new tennis court to house the UA wheelchair tennis team, which has won five national championships since 2012. The team currently uses a shared space in Stran-Hardin Arena for practices and equipment storage.

The Parker Haun Tennis Facility is a 5,400-square-foot space that will help the Student Recreation Center host tennis clinics for children interested in the sport and allow the University to host the Alabama Open, a wheelchair tennis tournament, and draw in larger crowds. 

The construction was made possible in part due to a donation made through Parker Towing Company and Charlie and Alice Haun, as well as 21 other financial donors. Construction is scheduled to conclude at the beginning of the fall semester.

Second Avenue Overpass 

The University is adding an additional entryway to campus. The Second Avenue overpass will run parallel to Hackberry Lane and Dr. Edward Hillard Drive, connecting 15th Street to Paul W. Bryant Drive. 

The bridge is a two-lane street with sidewalks for pedestrians and bicycle lanes. The overpass will help drivers access DCH Regional Medical Center, make it easier for emergency responders to reach campus and will ease the influx of traffic during UA events.

The overpass will also include a protected 10-foot path for pedestrians and bicyclists featuring a concrete barrier, barrier rails and crash cushions to protect anyone on the path from vehicular traffic.

The University plans to use space underneath the overpass for parking to replace spots lost near Coleman Coliseum, Sewell-Thomas Stadium and the School of Law. 

Tim Leopard, junior associate VP for campus development, said the bridge is scheduled to open at 5 a.m. on Aug. 4. 

“I really think it will provide them [with] great and convenient access to campus and the areas on 15th Street,” Leopard said. “It will be a much more attractive approach to the University. I think people will be surprised by how great of a view [it provides] to campus.”

New Tutwiler Residence Hal

A newly constructed twist on an old residence hall will provide a unique living experience for first-year students at the Capstone. Located on the northeast corner of 10th Avenue and 12th Street, the new Tutwiler Hall will house over 1,200 students by fall 2022.

The new building will be a far cry from the old Tutwiler Hall, which housed fewer than 1,000 students and featured communal bathrooms. Constructed in 1968, the residents frequently experienced poor heating and cooling systems, slow elevators and outdated technology. 

The residence hall will feature two-person rooms with private bathrooms in each room, lounges and community/traditional-style residence hall spaces. It will feature an on-site fitness center, a courtyard area and Julia’s Market, a convenience store located inside the dorm, will have more space. 

The first floor will include a 16,600-square-foot storm shelter capable of accommodating roughly 1,400 people.