Bill Noble Park Groundbreaking

Joining city officials and the kids of Gardendale, Alabama, we broke ground last week for the new Bill Noble Park expected to be finished by spring 2023. The finished complex will feature nine baseball and softball fields, a football and soccer field, all with synthetic turf. The finished complex will also have eight tennis courts, 11 pickleball courts, a beach volleyball court, a playground, a putting green and more.

“"I don’t know if you ever thing about your purpose and what the purpose of your job is, but to me you’re building lives. You’re making small people become adults. What you’re going to build here at this facility is going to have an impact in this community. You’re helping so many families," said Sheldon Haygood of Fox 6 Sports.

"You’re building life-long memories. It makes me excited to think about the impact this will have for generations to come."

Southern Research Groundbreaking

Today we had the honor of being a part of the groundbreaking for the new Southern Research building in downtown Birmingham that will serve as the nexus for biotechnology in the state of Alabama.

“Today we're not just here to celebrate this new facility for Southern Research, but the vision for this project goes beyond a new building. It's about creating a better future for all of us and that's what excites me the most," said Mayor Randall Woodfin.

UAB Altec Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences

Yesterday a ground-breaking ceremony was held at UAB to announce the construction of the new Altec/Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building and the Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation Conference Center. Governor Kay Ivey, Senior leaders from UAB, the Board of Trustees, the Styslinger family, and state government leaders attended.

The new 175,000-square foot facility will include space for computational research, research support, offices, administrative and scientific collaboration, and meeting spaces designed to meet the specific needs of genomics and precision medicine investigators and their programs. The building is an exclamation point on the focus of medicine in the state of Alabama.

“This facility, made possible by the foresight and help of our state and local leaders, as well as generous donors, will position UAB and Alabama to be a global leader in precision medicine and genomic sciences, enhancing world-class clinical care for our community and beyond.”

— UAB President Ray Watts, M.D

ULI Alabama Historic Preservation + Adaptive Reuse: Birmingham's Greyhound Bus Terminal

Thu, Mar 17, 2022, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

618 19th St N, Birmingham, Alabama, US, 35203

Join us and the ULI (Urban Land Institute) Alabama at The Historic Greyhound Bus Depot, located at 618 19th Street North. Hailed as one of the most modern bus depots during the Mid-century and purportedly supported an influx of business into Birmingham during the booming, post war economy. This Depot is architecturally significant as one of the few remaining Arrasmith transportation buildings designed by in the Streamline Moderne style. This Depot is also historically significant to the Civil Rights Movement as a stop of the “Freedom Rider” activists, of which included the late U.S. Representative, John Lewis.

The Depot endured several harsh renovation campaigns during the 1970s that radically altered the exterior design and interior layout. By the late 2000s, this once state-of-the-art bus terminal was ultimately abandoned after Greyhound relocated to a newly constructed facility, rendering the historic Depot in peril of demolition by neglect.

Mike Mouron, Chairman of the Birmingham-based Capstone Real Estate Investments, purchased the building in 2018 to readapt the bus depot into new office space and pursue a meticulous restoration in partnership with Williams Blackstock Architects and Stewart Perry Contractors. Mouron was able to save this historically significant structure by using several incentive programs, including the Federal and State Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Programs and Opportunity Zones. The building renovation carefully incorporated functions that supported leasing flexibility in terms of building systems, metering, and egress and accessibility. The first phase of the project is complete, which includes a “core and shell” renovation that restored the exterior and common area interior spaces along with the installation of modern building systems. The next phase will include a tenant build-out.

Please join us as we discuss the aspects that made this renovation possible and how this case study could serve as an example for the potential of readapting other urban properties.

AIA Alabama Spotlight

Binx Newton

AIA Alabama Spotlight

Binx has grown from Intern to Principal since joining Williams Blackstock Architects over two decades ago, following undergraduate studies at Auburn and graduate studies at Cornell, and demonstrating the firm’s dedication to professional development of its employees.

Binx reflects WBA’s passion for creating highly functional, dynamic design solutions in a collaborative environment, seeking to make the world and our communities a better place. He has led design teams of several WBA major projects and collaborations with international design firms to integrate our clients’ programmatic goals with their unique aspirations.

With interests in leading diverse teams that conceive, develop, and meticulously execute challenging projects, some recently recognized work includes the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and the addition to the School of Nursing at UAB, Hewson Hall and the North Engineering Research Center at The University of Alabama, historic renovations of the Federal Reserve Bank Building and the 2200 Magnolia building, and an expansion of the Barber Motorsports Museum.

He is currently leading multiple healthcare, science and technology projects including the renovation and addition to the UAB LHRB for the Altec Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building, an Advanced Analytical Research Center for The University of Alabama, and a masterplan for Southern Research. Binx’s passion is to balance our economic, social, and environmental impact by leveraging great design and emerging technology

AIA Alabama Emerging Professional Spotlight

Asia Burgin

AIA Alabama Emerging Professional Spotlight

Asia is an Alabama native, born in Anniston. As a student at Auburn University, she received both an honor and honorable mention award for student projects in 2017. While studying at Urban Studio in downtown Birmingham, she realized her passion to preserve the precious gems of the past and creating reusable, inviting spaces for the future. After graduating, she began pursuing this passion at Williams Blackstock Architects. She is currently working as Project Manager on Nextec, the historic Edwards Motor Building, which is being renovated into a high-tech office space that will serve for tech companies to land into the upcoming Switch District.

Another project focus for her is the Selma Campsites. Her aspiration is to preserve the historic homes of residents in the area that provided shelter and resources to activists who marched the 54-mile route from Selma to Montgomery during the Civil Rights movement. She was also instrumental in the historic preservation of the Historic Greyhound Depot. Acknowledging the significance of the civil rights history of the site, she pursued a thoughtful restoration and adaptive reuse of the space. Asia wants to continue focusing on architecture, whether new or adaptive reuse, that is socially responsive, reusable, technologically advance, flexible and environmentally aware.

Luxury Apartments Coming to Huntsville

A new mixed-use development is coming to Huntsville, Alabama that includes 6,000 square feet of restaurants, 250 luxury apartments, and 11,000 square feet of restaurant and office space. Located at the corner of Bradford Road and Wynn Drive, this upscale development is positioned at a major intersection of researchers, students, professionals, and families in Huntsville’s Research Park.

The luxury apartment homes will provide residences for nearby students and research professionals within walking and biking distance of UAH Campus, the new Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering and the surrounding global research facilities, while providing residents an upscale experience with included amenities.

The Historic Greyhound Renovation Featured in DesignAlabama

“Our team had to carefully peel back layers of materials to uncover historic materials and then pursue a mindful restoration and an adaptive reuse of the bus station into office space with contemporary interventions." - Brittany Foley

AIA Alabama Awards Featured in Bham Now →

The Williams Blackstock Architects team was recognized by The State of Alabama American Institute of Architects (AIA) with five honorable awards this month and we are proud to have it covered on BhamNow.

Brittany Foley to speak at AIA Conference →

This Saturday, Brittany Foley will present at AIA Alabama Now Meets Next Conference on successful strategies for sympathetic modernization of historic buildings through a case study analysis that covers contemporary considerations surrounding historic envelopes, building systems integration, and architectural material conservation.