SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has approved budgets and contracts for two major projects on the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) campus, including a state-of-the-art cybersecurity facility and a new track and field complex.
The Board approved a revised $47.7 million budget for the renovation of the Bevill Center, which will be transformed into the Center for Cybersecurity Research, Education & Advanced Training. The project’s architectural design, led by McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, will modernize the three-story, 93,600-square-foot building located at 550 Sparkman Drive.
Built in 1988 as a hotel and conference center, the Bevill Center will be fully renovated in a single phase. Once complete, it will house the Center for Cybersecurity Research & Education (CCRE), the Departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Office of Research and Economic Development. The facility will support a range of cybersecurity disciplines, including secure software development, system architecture, offensive security, reverse engineering, and emerging cyber problem-solving.
The Board also approved a $15.5 million budget for the new track and field complex and authorized a $5.1 million construction contract with Dunlap Contracting Inc. of Lacey’s Spring. The complex will expand Charger Park west of John Wright Drive and feature UAH’s first on-campus, NCAA-compliant, 400-meter, eight-lane track with event areas, locker rooms, and 500-seat bleachers.
“These projects represent significant investments in UAH’s future and reaffirm our commitment to advancing both academic excellence and the student experience,” said Dr. Kristy Lee, UAH Chief Administrative Officer. “The new Center for Cybersecurity will strengthen UAH’s position as a national leader in cyber research, while the Track and Field Complex will enrich campus life and elevate our athletics program.”