The Birmingham Business Journal recognizes three UAB buildings for shaping the Magic CityThe University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Collat School of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, and School of Nursing all received an award from The Birmingham Business Journal’s inaugural “Building Birmingham Awards” for their newly constructed buildings and their contribution to shaping the “Magic City.”
“It’s exciting for these new buildings to be recognized for their innovation and design,” said Greg Parsons, associate vice president and chief facilities officer for the UAB Facilities Division. “Our team works closely with campus clients, university and system officials, consultants, contractors, governmental agencies, and vendors to ensure any new building serves the needs of students, faculty and staff, and to ensure that buildings are beautiful and efficient.”
The awards ceremony was held Thursday, July 25, at the Birmingham Zoo, where the Williams Blackstock team was recognized for UAB’s Collat School of Business and School of Nursing projects, and M.J. Harris was recognized for UAB’s College of Arts and Sciences project.
“Over the past seven years we have emphasized the importance of the built environment to inspire students and faculty in their quest for achievement and to provide them with the infrastructure they need to be academically competitive,” said Robert Palazzo, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Our students in particular deserve high quality, safe, learning environments. Our oversight of the construction of the Abrams/Engel Institute for Visual Arts, the new construction of University Hall that just opened, and our quest to deliver a new Science and Engineering Complex within the next few years should enhance the UAB College of Arts and Science’s academic productivity for many years to come, making UAB an international destination for the best students and scholars from around the world.”
“The new Collat School of Business building has been transformational for the people who use it – our students, faculty, staff and alumni – and for the educational programs we deliver inside it,” said Eric P. Jack, Ph.D., dean of the Collat School of Business. “It has enabled our school to take a giant leap forward in delivering world-class business education in our classrooms and around the world through online learning.”
“UAB School of Nursing is honored to have our building expansion and renovation recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal for its impact on our city,” said Doreen C. Harper, Ph.D., UAB School of Nursing dean and Fay B. Ireland Endowed Chair of Nursing. “This project enables our school to continue to grow, prepare the next generation of nurses, and incubate excellence and innovations across nursing education, practice and research that will impact patients and families at UAB, in Birmingham, across Alabama and around the world.”
Honorees were chosen based on project impact, innovation, details of the building, design process and more. All projects were completed between Jan. 1, 2018, and May 31, 2019, and only 30 Metro Birmingham buildings were awarded.