University of Alabama at Birmingham
Student Recreation Center Feasibility Analysis
Birmingham, AL
In October 1999, the University of Alabama at Birmingham engaged Brailsford & Dunlavey to evaluate the feasibility of developing a comprehensive, contemporary student recreation center funded by a dedicated student fee. B&D's analysis of existing conditions revealed that the University had a shortage of dedicated recreation space. This was exacerbated by the expansion of the University's varsity athletic programs, which led to the addition of the Bartow Arena for Basketball and the practice facilities for football, which were not available for use by the majority of students. These and other new and expanded NCAA programs, as well as the development of University credit and non-credit programs, caused excessive recreation facility constraints.
It became evident that recreation facilities and equipment were not meeting the needs of a growing student population. Through a student survey, B&D discovered that a majority of students supported improving on-campus recreation facilities, even if it required a $50- to $60-per-quarter increase in student fees. Faculty and staff exhibited a similarly high support level, thus bolstering the appeal for a newly dedicated recreation facility. Through a competitive context analysis used to measure the University’s standing among the top eight schools with which it competed for students, B&D identified the extent to which improvements to quality-of-life facilities, such as the proposed recreation center, would improve the University's position in the market for the recruitment and retention of students.
B&D developed a building program for the new recreation facility—one that would fully meet the recreational, intramural, and community needs of the entire University population. When combined with the market analysis, the results of the programming exercise led B&D to recommend a new recreation building of approximately 148,000 gross square feet to meet the University's needs. In addition, B&D's comprehensive financial analysis illustrated that the recommended architectural program was feasible within reasonable constraints of construction, operating costs, fees, debt service, and replacement reserve.
As a result of B&D's findings, the University hired Cannon Design to provide architectural services, and then set to work on building a new 150,000 square foot Campus Recreation Center that was completed in 2005. The facility includes aquatics, court sports, an indoor track, weight and fitness areas, a climbing wall, a game room, a juice bar, and an outdoor recreational facility consisting of two softball fields, two football fields with goals for soccer; a baseball field, and numerous tennis courts. The project has received numerous accolades including an Innovative Architecture & Design award by Recreation Management magazine, an Education Design Showcase "Honorable Mention" from College Planning & Management magazine, and two Architectural Showcase awards by Athletic Business magazine.
