UAB Synopsis, Vol. 24, No. 38, October 17, 2005
The first phase of the 310,000-square-foot Richard N. and Annette C. Shelby Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building is on schedule for occupancy in March. UAB secured nearly $50 million in federal funds, $25 million in state funds, $5 million each from the city of Birmingham and Jefferson County, as well as philanthropic funds, to construct the 12-floor facility.
Phase 1 marks completion of 7 levels, with phase 2 to follow in approximately 1 year, with completion of two additional floors, which are partially funded by $3.6 million from the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Research Resources. As funds become available, phase 3 will finish two more levels.
"The Shelby Building adds more than 10% to the university's biomedical research space, which will enable us to expand our research enterprise and enrich Birmingham's and Alabama's economic development," UAB Vice President of Research Richard Marchase, PhD, says. "The building will house nearly 100 principal investigators and 700 employees."
A second facility, a five-story 100,000-square-foot research support building, is rising behind the Shelby Building and will house investigators' support services.
Immunology Research, Biomedical Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Research, the Interdisciplinary Neurosciences Program, and the Diabetes Research Initiative Program will move into the new facility.
"Bringing together investigators with common interests from multiple disciplines will foster rapid interdisciplinary interactions and synergisms previously hampered by labs and offices scattered across campus, while promoting efficient translational research from bench to bedside," Marchase says.
CUH2A of Princeton, New Jersey, serves as architect for the project, and Hoar Construction is the general contractor.