After more than a year of planning and site preparation, full-scale demolition and construction will begin this month on the Altec | Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building. The project’s next step requires Lyons Harrison Research Building (LHRB) to be vacant and closed to pedestrians. The building had been used as a pathway between McCallum Basic Health Science Building (MCLM), Kaul Human Genetics Building, Tinsley Harrison Tower (THT), and Zeigler Research Building (ZRB) to Jefferson Tower and UAB Hospital.  

“There will be intense interior demolition in LHRB, which will restrict all pedestrian traffic in the building,” said Charles McKinstry, project manager for Facilities Planning, Design & Construction. “We understand this will be an inconvenience, but we know the end result will be worth it.”

Pedestrians should consult this map to plan their routes around construction areas that are off limits, including sidewalk closures. Construction will begin Aug. 15 and wrap up in spring 2024. While the disruption to outside pedestrian traffic should be minimal, pedestrians should be prepared to use additional crosswalks and cross streets where necessary:

• For travel between MCLM/Kaul/SOD and UAB Hospital: exit onto 20th Street S. and walk to the New Hillman Building entrance between 6th and 7th avenues
• For travel between THT/ZRB and UAB Hospital: exit onto 19th Street S. and walk to the Spain Wallace Tower entrance between 6th and 7th avenues

Construction barriers are put in place to ensure the safety of the campus community. Please do not try to relocate any barriers or cross areas that have been closed to pedestrian traffic.

Planning the new space

The project was announced in December 2020, with funding from the state, county and philanthropy. It will renovate LHRB to encompass 145,000 square feet of office space for research faculty and staff and administrative spaces. An important new addition is the Heersink Conference Center, a new meeting space on the first two floors of the building with a 300-seat conference room, two 50-seat meetings room and event space.

The building is a major project in the Heersink School of Medicine’s long-range plan to enhance research in genomic medicine and computational biology. The building is central to the overall complex of interconnected research and support facilities located at UAB’s hub of basic and translational research enterprise. Along with MCLM, the building will enable UAB to become one of the most collaborative research facilities in the nation.