University of Alabama spends $75 million on student services, pickleball courts – AL.com
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Pickleball is so popular at the University of Alabama, the board of trustees approved expanding the number of courts on campus.(Contributed)The University of Alabama System board of trustees unanimously approved multiple construction items for the Tuscaloosa campus on Feb. 7.The projects include a new student service center, a training facility and a pickleball recreational expansion. The board approved construction by Harrison Construction of the new University of Alabama’s Student Well-Being Hub. The 82,500-square foot space costs $59.9 million and is located on the Bryce campus south of Kilgore Lane.The hub will house multiple divisions of student life, including the counselling center, health promotion and wellness and the Women and Gender Resource Center. Construction is scheduled to begin in April, according to the Building Bama website. The board approved the architects for a 19,746 square-foot Reserve Officers Training Corps facility and student veterans center. Seay, Seay, & Litchfield Architects will build the $12.7 million center near McFarland Boulevard and Campus Drive.The center will house student life wellness programs for military and veteran students and includes a rappelling tower and dirt path obstacle course.Undergraduate admissions will move from Houser Hall on Seventh Avenue to the Student Services Center at 751 Campus Drive. The university says 12,800 square feet of space on the second floor will be renovated to accommodate the admissions and scholarships teams. UA president Stuart Bell said this will allow student visitors to meet with recruiters and financial aid representatives. The board selected Chambless King Architects for the $1.3 million renovation.Due to high demand and long wait times, the board approved up to 10 new pickleball courts for the existing Parker-Haun Tennis facility at 550 Peter Bryce Boulevard. The $1.6 million project is funded through ETF Advancement and Technology appropriation.“These courts appeal to a broad demographic, even some of our students who may not be as familiar with fitness and recreation,” said vice president of student life Steven Hood. “It’s a great opportunity to connect and engage students promoting physical activity. These additional courts will keep pace with innovative recreational trends, contributing to a vibrant and healthy campus for our students.”The board of trustees also approved several construction items for the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025).© 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site.YouTube’s privacy policy is available here and YouTube’s terms of service is available here.Ad Choices