UAH moves forward on cybersecurity reno of Bevill Center, new Track and Field Complex

HUNTSVILLE – A pair of construction projects totaling more than $52 million at the University of Alabama in Huntsville will take major steps forward following approval from the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.

The renovation of the Bevill Center for the new Center for Cybersecurity Research, Education & Advanced Training and construction of a track and field complex were given the green light at last week’s board meeting in Tuscaloosa. UAH is a part of the UA System.

For the Center for Cybersecurity Research, Education & Advanced Training, the trustees approved the revised project scope and budget of $47,660,500 as well as the proposed architectural design by McMillan Pazdan Smith, Architecture.

The board also approved the revised project budget for the track and field complex and granted authorization for UAH to award a construction contract in the amount of $5,115,150 to Dunlap Contracting of Lacey’s Spring for track and infield construction and lighting. Total budget for the project is $15,488,815.

“These projects represent significant investments in UAH’s future and reaffirm our commitment to advancing both academic excellence and the student experience,” said UAH Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Kristy Lee. “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.”

The expanded scope for the Bevill Center project will allow UAH to complete a full renovation of the building in a single phase. Constructed as a hotel and conference center at 550 Sparkman Drive in 1988, the building contains 93,600 square feet of space on three floors.

The project will renovate the building into an interdisciplinary research and academic facility aimed at attracting and retaining top students, researchers, faculty and staff as well as research client and partner relationships.

The facility will house the Center for Cybersecurity Research & Education, the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Office of Research and Economic Development. It will meet the academic needs of a wide variety of cybersecurity-related disciplines, including the following:

• Cybersecurity engineering

• Secure software development

• Cybersecurity test and evaluation

• Offensive security

• Systems architecture

• Reverse engineering

• Emerging cybersecurity problem-solving

An outdoor track and field complex has been high on the wish list of the Department of Athletics since the start of the women’s track and field program in 2001 and the men’s in 2004. The new facility will be near UAH’s athletic fields, across John Wright Drive from the soccer/lacrosse field.

The complex will feature an NCAA-compliant, 400-meter, 8-lane running track with jumping, vaulting and throwing event venues. The complex will also include:

• Entry plaza

• Parking area for visiting teams and officials

• Press box

• 500-seat main section of bleachers

• Home and visiting team locker rooms

• Concessions

• Field house with equipment storage

When the track and field complex opens, it will allow UAH to host on-campus sporting events, including Gulf South Conference and Division II championship events. This will increase the visibility of UAH Athletics among peer institutions, in the intercollegiate community and in the local community.

Most importantly, it will boost the recruitment of highly sought-after students, faculty and staff to allow UAH’s sports programs to continue and improve.