PRESS RELEASE
Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram
The University of West Alabama officially broke ground Monday, Feb. 16, on a long-anticipated redesign and expansion of its Student Union Building, envisioned as a dynamic, student-focused hub.
The $23.4 million renovation and expansion to the existing two-story, 54,000-square-foot facility marks a significant milestone in campus development and student life and is funded in large part through a combination of state appropriations from the State of Alabama’s Education Trust Funds.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, UWA President Dr. Todd G. Fritch said the renovation project represents “more than brick and mortar.”
“This facility expansion and renovation reflects our belief that UWA students deserve the very best: spaces that support their success, their health and wellness, their leadership, and their growth and development,” Fritch said. “When this project is complete the Student Union will be a vibrant hub that not only meets the needs of today’s students but will also be poised to respond to the needs of our future students.
During the ceremony, Fritch extended gratitude to a host of constituencies, calling the event “a proud day for all of us.”
“I want to recognize and thank those who helped bring us to this moment: the Alabama legislature, and especially our local delegation, who supported our appropriations request to help make this project a reality; our Board of Trustees for their unwavering commitment and support, our University leadership team, our faculty and staff, our student leaders, our community partners, and all of the supporters who believe so deeply in the mission of UWA,” Fritch said.
The redesigned and expanded Student Union will support academic collaboration, promote wellness and recreation, and serve as a vibrant gathering place for the campus community. The design balances flexibility, transparency, and technology integration to create a facility that adapts to evolving student needs while supporting efficient operations and event use.
Student collaborative rooms are located prominently on the main floor and designed as flexible, technology-rich environments. Each space is equipped with monitors to support group work, presentations, and hybrid learning. The meeting/lecture room includes integrated display technology. Support spaces have been refined to include a dedicated IT control room, reinforcing reliable technology support for learning and events.
Also on the main floor, a food court will serve as a gathering space in an area that formerly housed the campus bookstore and mail room. Subway will move from Young Hall Cafeteria, and Burgers + Fries will move from Gilbert Hall to the renovated Student Union, and a third retail-style food vendor will join them in the 3,800 square foot food court.
Barnes & Noble, UWA’s campus bookstore, will also operate on the main floor of the building, relocated to the space once known as the Tiger’s Den and later as a large conference space.
On the bottom level of the building, an addition spanning 12,000 square feet includes a gymnasium and fitness areas designed to maximize usability and program flexibility. The gym accommodates multiple activities through cross-court striping, contrasting court colors for clarity, and integrated scoreboards will be used by Campus Recreation for court sports like basketball, volleyball, and pickleball. This addition is located where the pool was previously.
A continuous, elevated walking track overlooks the court, creating dynamic visual connections to both the gymnasium, weight room, and the fitness spaces below.
The weight room is subdivided into two distinct zones with glass partitions, maintaining openness and supervision while allowing for specialized training environments. A space that most recently housed group exercise and spin rooms has been repurposed as storage and laundry support spaces, maintaining necessary utility connections to support operations.
In a move from the main level to bottom floor, a new student mail service space includes locker-style mailboxes and a service counter.
Integrated audio systems provided throughout the common areas of both floors, including the gymnasium, bookstore, and food court will be used to support campus announcements, and event programming.
Public gathering areas throughout the Student Union emphasize comfort, visibility, and accessibility. The main lounge includes wall-mounted screens to support informal gatherings and campus messaging, along with floor-integrated electrical outlets that encourage extended use for both study and social interaction. Lounge spaces are reconfigured with added partitions and access points to improve privacy and circulation and adjacent to the food court.
A new lounging pool, located on the south lawn between the new UWA amphitheater and the Student Union Building, is designed with safety, access control, and connectivity in mind. Featuring sun-shelves on both sides with an approximate water depth of seven inches, it transitions to a maximum depth of approximately four feet. Restroom facilities adjacent to the pool have additional gated access for use when the pool is closed. Wireless connectivity is extended to the pool deck to support programming, training, and operational needs.
University leaders highlight this significant investment in support of all of its students by providing a space that has been carefully designed to serve many different needs.
“This groundbreaking is a symbol of momentum, a symbol of where we are headed as an institution,” Fritch said. “Our students are our purpose. This investment demonstrates that we are not standing still. We are investing boldly, we are planning intentionally, and we are moving forward together.”
The project will be delivered through a collaborative effort among several experienced partners. Lathan McKee Architects will serve as the project architect providing overall design and architectural services. Hall Taylor Construction will act as construction manager, overseeing coordination and execution throughout the project. Construction services will be performed by a team of specialized contractors, including Compass Civil Construction, McKelvey Mechanical, Taylor Electrical Contractors, Cox Pools, Advanced Roofing Solutions, Jimmy Hall Plumbing, and J.T. Harrison Construction.
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