ALABAMA STATE EDITION
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72 Florence
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Huntsville
20 Decatur
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A Supplement to:
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Gadsden
78 59 Anniston
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Birmingham Bessemer
82 Tuscaloosa
65 280
20 82 Auburn
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Selma
Phenix City
Montgomery
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March 5 2014 Vol. XXVI • No. 5
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“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.”
Dothan
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Mobile
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Your Alabama Connection • Rich Olivier, Atlanta, GA • 1-800-409-1479
Birmingham College ‘Miles Ahead’ With New Buildings By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
Leon Moody, Miles College photo
To prepare for the new buildings, Hardin Construction demolished four houses and a building, which once served as apartments, along with a structure that housed the social work department.
Overseeing construction of three new buildings on campus has proven both challenging and rewarding for officials at Miles College near Birmingham, Ala. The $23 million capital improvement project includes a new residence hall, student activities and dining hall and a welcome and admissions center, as well as site improvements. “We coordinated the design and build from project conception,” said Stephen Watlington, project executive of DPR Hardin Construction. “Our efforts started with a design charette that was used to help the college determine their program or project scope. These meetings included faculty, students, advisors and design professionals. The mission of Miles College was to add to their students’ daily experience and create buildings that enhanced the experience of prospective students.” The new welcome center includes a reception hall and patio on one of the highest points on campus, where VIPs and prospective students can take in the entire football game day experience. Other features of the building include interview facilities for visiting prospects, a boardroom for school trustee meetings and display rooms for memorabilia. Recent construction has included the restoration of the original pedestrian entrance on the front of the main campus. A formal archway has been added, along with new lighting, landscaping and seating. The new four-story, 45,000 sq. ft. (4,180.6 sq m) student housing construction accommodates 204 beds and is situated next to the new welcome center. Down the hill from these buildings, and considered the new heart of the campus, is the new George T. French, Jr. Student Activity Center, which will include an SGA office, along with meeting space for sororities, fraternities and other organizations. Pedestrians will approach the entrance along a new walk that will eventually be part of a grand pedestrian walk that crosses campus. “This building includes a fantastic metal clad dome that stamps its signature on the campus,” said Watlington. “The facility houses student dining that’s capable of feeding a thousand students per meal time, an all hours café and grille, a theater, a fitness area, study rooms and other recreational opportunities. All of the facilities include state-of-the-art audio and video technology.” The overall project required about 30,000 yds. (27,423 m) of cut/fill. To prepare for the new buildings, Hardin Construction demolished four houses and a building, which see MILES page 2