The University of West Alabama in Livingston has broken ground on a $23.4 million expansion of its Student Union Building.
The university says the renovation and expansion of the existing two-story, 54,000-square-foot facility marks a milestone in campus development and student life.
The redesigned Student Union will support academic collaboration, promote wellness and recreation, and serve as a gathering place for the campus community.
Flexible, technology-rich student collaborative rooms are situated prominently on the main floor. Each space is equipped with monitors to support group work, presentations and hybrid learning. The meeting/lecture room includes integrated display technology.
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. The campus bookstore also will operate on the main floor.
On the bottom level, an addition spanning 12,000 square feet includes a gymnasium and fitness areas. A continuous, elevated walking track overlooks the court.
The weight room is subdivided into two distinct zones with glass partitions, maintaining openness and supervision while providing specialized training environments. A space that most recently housed group exercise and spin rooms has been repurposed as storage and laundry support spaces.
A new lounging pool, on the south lawn between the new amphitheater and the Student Union Building, features sun-shelves on both sides with an approximate water depth of seven inches, it transitions to a maximum depth of about four feet. Wireless connectivity is extended to the pool deck.
The project architect is Lathan McKee Architects, and the construction manager is Hall Taylor Construction.
