Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Upcoming University of Alabama Performing Arts Center Hits Construction Milestone

  • By Matt Jones
  • 10/30/25

The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., recently celebrated the topping out of its new Smith Family Center for Performing Arts, according to a news release. The university is partnering with HPM for program and project management on the facility, which broke ground in 2023 and is scheduled for completion in November 2026. Other partners were TurnerBaston Architects as project architect and M.J. Harris Construction Services, LLC, as the general contractor.

The Smith Family Center for Performing Arts will measure in at 130,088 square feet and bring all of the Department of Theatre and Dance’s academic and performance needs within a single area on campus, the news release reports. Amenities will include a 450-seat dance theater, a 350-seat drama theater, a 250-seat studio theater, a scenery shop, rehearsal space, and control rooms.

“We are proud to celebrate this important milestone alongside UA and our project partners,” said HPM Senior Project Manager Austin Fisher. “The Smith Family Center for Performing Arts will be a centerpiece for creativity and learning on campus, and reaching the topping out is a testament to our teams’ expertise and dedication to getting the job done on time. We look forward to bringing the vision for this facility to life and delivering a space that will inspire generations of students, faculty members and audiences.”

The facility will connect via a new lobby to the Peter Bryce Main building, which—following construction—will house the department’s faculty offices and academic spaces.

The university and HPM have previously partnered on campus venues like Julia Tutwiler Hall, Bryant Denny Stadium, Rhoades Softball Stadium, Coleman Coliseum, and the Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility, the news release reports.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • El Paso District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The Canutillo Independent School District in El Paso, Texas, recently announced that construction has begun on a 119,000-square-foot elementary school, according to a news release. The district partnered with Pfluger Architects, Carl Daniel Architects, and LDCM Solutions on the new Davenport Elementary School, which has an expected completion date of 2027.

  • abstract representation of hybrid learning environment

    The Permanence of Change: Why Hybrid Is the New Baseline

    Hybrid learning is here to stay, and it's reshaping how campus spaces function.

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

Digital Edition