Altec / Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building
The Altec / Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building (formerly the Lyons Harrison Research Building) is a 121-foot tall, 92,000 square foot research facility at 701 19th Street South, part of the UAB Medical Center. The building adjoins and connects to the Zeigler Medical Research Building and the Dentistry Building. A six-story wing spans over 7th Avenue South connecting to the Jefferson Tower. The later Research Bridge over 19th Street connects to the Veterans Administration Medical Center.
The exterior curtain wall of the "bridge" wing originally contained uniform opaque panels with short clerestory windows above, but some of those panels were later replaced with glass. The building was dedicated originally as the Health Sciences Research Building on December 9, 1960 and renamed on November 19, 1966 to honor the late Champ Lyons and Tinsley Harrison.
A 1969 addition of 116,000 square feet for cardiovascular research was built for $5.4 million. The addition was designed by Davis, Speake and Associates.
2020s renovation and expansion
In 2020 the University of Alabama Board of Trustees approved the development of plans to renovate and expand the Lyons Harrison Research Building into the 145,000 square-foot Altec / Styslinger Genomic Medicine and Data Sciences Building. The plan, budgeted at $78 million, included demolishing the adjacent Pittman Center for Advanced Medical Studies Building and the Kracke Building and constructing a conference center for the new Marnix E. Heersink Institute for Biomedical Innovation.
The project was funded in part by a gift from the Altec Styslinger Foundation, along with $5 million pledges from the City of Birmingham and Jefferson County. The system was also awarded $50 million in state funding. Ground was broken for the project on April 11, 2022 and the building is expected to open in summer 2025.
The exterior glazing for the building utilizes bird protective glass with a pattern of etched dots
Part of the project included developing a landscaped park space, dubbed "Genomics Park."
References
- Patchen, Tyler (June 9, 2020) "High-priority $75M project at UAB takes a step forward." Birmingham Business Journal
- Herfurth, Haley (June 10, 2021) "Look for these seven new spaces transforming UAB’s campus." UAB News
- "UAB demolishes 2 buildings to make way for massive new genomic research hub." (February 28, 2022) WVTM13.com
- Shepard, Bob (April 11, 2022) "Investing in a better tomorrow: State, county, city leaders and donors join UAB to break ground on game-changing new genomics building." UAB News
- Hodgin, Mary Scott (May 15, 2024) "UAB building among Alabama’s first to feature ‘bird safe’ glass." WBHM.org
- Dobrinski, Rebecca (March 5, 2025) "New park, holiday signage approved for downtown Birmingham." AL.com
External links
- Lyons Harrison Research Building at Emporis.com