The 36-month period of renovation and restoration of the Bryce Hospital campus since The University of Alabama acquired it in December 2009 is slowly coming to a close, UA officials said.
“We hope to have complete access of the Bryce Campus by this October, once the new Bryce Hospital is completed and they get moved in,” Dan Wolfe, University master planner, said. “We currently have access to several of the buildings, but not the entire area.”
Cathy Andreen, UA spokeswoman, said the delay is the result of the high cost and breadth of the project, which was not originally anticipated by UA administrators.
“In order to stay within budget, contractors were given more time to complete the renovations to the building after initial bids for the project came in higher than expected,” Andreen said.
Although the University hopes to gain access to all of the buildings on the property this fall, Wolfe said there is no set timeline regarding the remaining buildings on the property.
“While the 2012 Master Plan has been approved by our Board of Trustees, no time frame has been established for the removal or renovation of the remaining buildings,” Wolfe said.
Despite this, Andreen said some offices will begin moving into buildings on the Bryce Hospital campus starting in February.
“The Office of Student Media is currently scheduled to move into the building in mid- to late-February,” Andreen said.
Wolfe said this acquired property will accommodate many different offices and departments from across campus; all changes are highlighted in the campus master plan.
“The 2012 Campus Master Plan provides a look into the future of how the 168-acre Bryce Campus might be used to accommodate University growth,” Wolfe said. “Housing, administrative, academic and auxiliary functions have all been identified as possible uses for the new property.”
Additionally, Wolfe highlighted amenities in the Bryce Hospital building, including the possibility for new performing arts facilities for UA students, in addition to a possibility for a museum and other collections showcasing UA and mental health history, .
“We have identified the Bryce Main Building as a potential site for a state-of-the-art addition to house a new performing arts center on campus,” Wolfe said. “The historic structure may also be used as a visitor center for campus and could house museum space that celebrates the history of both UA and mental health in the state of Alabama.”
In order to alleviate the anticipated increase in traffic in this area once the buildings are opened to campus, Wolfe said there are plans for an additional road to make it easier to access to the area.
“A proposed major collector road will be added to facilitate easier accessibility through campus and provide another connector to Jack Warner Parkway,” Wolfe said. “All of these things and many more are a part of the 2012 Master Plan.”
