UAB New Student Residence Hall

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is an innovative academic, research, and medical institution in the center of downtown Birmingham. Known for its welcoming and progressive spirit, UAB is growing rapidly with incoming students from around the country and world. The University needed a new, modern dormitory to support the influx of students, and M. J. Harris gladly accepted the opportunity to build the Freshman Residence Hall on UAB’s campus. The small, compact site was surrounded by various active, fully functional buildings, so it required special care and planning to construct the 217,000-square-foot dormitory. Our team brought unwavering commitment and unshakable integrity to the project. The Freshman Residence Hall was designed to accommodate a large number of students. With an eight-story tower and four-story wing, it easily houses 714 beds. For a full living experience, the Residence Hall also includes engaging common spaces, multi-use and recreational spaces, a laundry facility, office space, and storm shelter. The structure is grounded with a post-tension concrete frame on deep foundations with brick veneer, cast stone, curtainwall, and storefront. A beautifully landscaped courtyard welcomes students on the southern side of the building. M. J. Harris dedicated unlimited time, talent, and tenacity to this passion project, and from what we’ve heard, the Freshman Residence Hall has completed transformed the on-campus living experience.