The University of North Alabama Begins Not One, but Two New Construction Projects on Campus

By Victoria Bullion, Madelyn Shelton, Addi Broadfoot, Grace Parke

Many students express concerns as the University of North Alabama unveils plans for new infrastructure projects on campus. The first of these projects is a new Bank Independent-sponsored football stadium that will be located on Pine Street across from Rivers and Rice Hall. The second is a new dormitory that will take the place of the old LaGrange Hall, which was recently demolished due to unlivable conditions. 

A new football stadium has been a topic of discussion at the University for years. UNA football games have been held at Florence High School’s field, Braly Stadium, since 1949. UNA has a partnership with the city of Florence that requires them to pay each time they use the shared stadium. However, with the University becoming an NCAA Division One Institution, there has been harder pressure for UNA to have its own stadium. 

According to the University’s website, “On June 14, the UNA Board of Trustees approved the design, scope, timeline, and budget model, which paved the way for groundbreaking. A final bid package is scheduled to be released in September 2024. Contingent upon construction time, the potential opening season would be 2026-2027."

“I was stunned when I heard the news!” said UNA alumni, Barbara Johnson. “This is something that students have been begging for for ages. I’m sad that my kids won’t experience Braly, but I think this will be a great change for the University.”

However, many current students and Florence residents have expressed concerns about the new project. According to the University’s website, which has tracked the progress of the project, the stadium will be funded by borrowed money, reserved funds, and donations. 

Taylor Bendall, a student at the University, shared her concerns about the potential financial impact of the projects.

"I can barely afford UNA as it is, and this year my tuition went up again," said Bendall.

I had to take a gap semester last year because of how expensive it’s getting. If UNA raises tuition again because they’re trying to manage two projects at once, I may have to drop out for good.”

The construction of the new LaGrange Residence Hall is another project causing mixed reactions among students. In addition to accommodating approximately 200 students, The hall will include a plaza and other amenities such as a convenience store for both on-campus and commuter students. These new upgrades are intended to improve the quality of life for students. 

In an interview with Michelle Eubanks, UNA Media and Public Relations Director, she shared updates on the University’s plan for the new dorm. The dormitory construction will cost $30 million. The University has not determined whether it will be an honors-only dorm. The timeline for the dorm construction is set to be completed by the Fall of 2026.

While many students are excited about this new dorm, others are concerned about the already limited parking situation. 

“It stresses me out,” said Sarah Phillips, a student at UNA. “I already have to leave thirty minutes early just to circle the parking lots. I can’t imagine competing with another 200 students. If they’re bringing more students to campus, they should build another parking deck first to accommodate the students that are already here.”

Students will have access to the parking deck but will have to share with locals of downtown Florence. This may create a multitude of problems surrounding the space for student parking. Students press for more parking; therefore, it has become an area for concern as campus continues to grow.

As the construction of the new dorm building and stadium has progressed, there have been many road closures. These closures have caused unwanted traffic for the students. There have been no plans made to alleviate this traffic, and students should expect the road closures to remain until the construction is concluded. Once the stadium is built and in use, student parking spaces will be used for those attending games. No additional on campus parking is set to be added. When asked if students would receive a discount for the new parking deck downtown, Michelle Eubanks said “I am unaware of any decision related to this."

Concern has risen over the University’s priorities. Many students and community members have questioned where this money was when the university was housing four international students to a room last year. 

In August of 2022, UNA began to lease the former Lion’s Den, renamed and renovated to Noala Heights, to international students. However, many students expressed disappointment and concern with how Noala Heights had been handled. The campus newspaper, The Florala, composed an article detailing the mistreatment that was found in the international dorms.

According to The Florala, an international student stated, “We have created a very racially, ethnically, socially segregated environment at Noala Heights in which we have largely placed students of the developing world,”

Why buy an entire apartment complex over a mile from campus specifically for a demographic of students who have no mode of transportation? The University of North Alabama seemed to not have the money for a new hall for international students, so many are questioning where the money came from for the new 30-million-dollar residence hall.

Eubank seems to have answers. “Lions Den provided the best option for students at that time before Lagrange had been demolished to make way for a new residence hall.”

As of Fall of 2024, Noala Heights has become unaffiliated with the University, nor is it considered University housing. Lagrange Residence Hall is set to have its doors open to students in the Fall of 2026, and the Bank Independent Stadium is expected to open to the public between late 2026 and early 2027. The primary concerns among University members are parking, costs, and quality of life. However, there are other, smaller, concerns that students have discussed. One of these is that students have noted that construction blockades have lengthened their commutes across campus, affecting their daily routines. Rising costs remain the most pressing concern, with many students fearing they may have to leave if tuition increases further.

For updates on both projects, the student newspaper, Flor-Ala, is closely following the developments, and information is also available on the University’s website under the Press Room tab.