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WBA staff was in attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony at the future site of The Waites.
“Construction work has begun at The Waites, a $16.5 million mixed-use development at the corner of Seventh Avenue South and Richard Arrington Boulevard on Birmingham’s Southside.”
WBA is excited to be apart of the future Collat School of Business building at UAB.
UAB Collat School of Business rendering
“The Collat School of Business is proud to be a vital part of the incredible renaissance taking place in our Magic City. Every day, our students, faculty and staff break new ground by pushing boundaries, innovating ideas, inspiring others, and turning challenges into opportunities.”
WBA is excited to be apart of the restoration of the Federal Reserve building in downtown Birmingham. The project will create 85,000 square feet of office and retail space to the dormant building.
“The historic Federal Reserve Building sits between two very important courthouses in a critical part of Birmingham’s downtown, after sitting dormant for almost 20 years, the 1927 and 1958 properties are being restored back to modern use.”
Williams Blackstock Architects is playing a key part of UAB's master plan, creating a more walk-able campus while expanding the footprint of their campus.
“The school recently developed a new master plan that will transform not just the campus, but the entire Southside, creating new opportunities for developers, innovators and the region.”
2016 will be the year of communication. We will strive harder than ever to communicate our value as architects and designers to the general public around us. We have increased the awareness to many of what we have to offer, though there is still much ground to make up, and many, many more to reach. We will meet our clients on their terms and listen to their wants, needs and goals. We will bring awareness to those who don’t know we exist by being present in unexpected places, offering a glimpse that will lead to their wanting to know more about our profession. We will learn how to communicate in such a way that speaks universally of quality in the places we call home.
We will communicate to our profession the value of the AIA as an organization. We will listen to our peers as they speak of our shortcomings and areas we need to improve, and we will act. We will communicate with our young emerging professionals, letting them know what our organization does for them and how they can find their place with our support. We will learn how to communicate with those who are just beginning their architectural careers or education by understanding what it is that makes them unique, and so perfectly suited to elevate our profession to new heights. We will also communicate with our experienced colleagues who have so much to offer through countless lessons learned throughout their careers.
By communicating visually through examples of our work, we can expand our reach to vast numbers of potential clients, supporters and future architects who will gain understanding of the important roles architects serve in the places we live, work and play. We will have entertaining and informative opportunities to truly socialize with one another, and provide venues and events that will encourage coming together and building community. We will communicate with others within the profession, our schools, and other chapters by exchanging ideas and resources. We will occasionally get up from our desks, from behind our computer screens, and become active participants in our communities. What an immensely exciting time to be living and practicing in the cities that make up our Chapter and State!
We will communicate with our supporters and let them know how much we appreciate them. The successful programs we run, and are now taking statewide, are due in large part to their continued support over the years. We will also communicate to new potential donors the outreach we provide through our programs and how they can help advance our mission.
2016 will be an exciting year, and I am grateful and honored to be the Chapter President. It would be foolish to think that a small group can accomplish the things outlined above and continue to toe the line that others started to move in years past. This excitement comes with a need to increase our numbers, embrace new ideas and strive to strengthen and grow our footprint. Therefore, I’m excited to see our numbers grow, our participants increase and our message get out into the surrounding communities, cities and statewide. I look forward to hearing each of your thoughts, ideas, and challenges and I look forward to seeing and communicating with each of you at our upcoming events.
Thank you so very much for your passion and dedication to our profession!
Humbly,
Bill Segrest, AIA
2016 AIA Birmingham President
This appears in the AIA Birmingham January 2016 newsletter found here →
The employees at Lewis Communication have officially begun the move in process to their new offices downtown. The four story building plus roof top area will be used by their 60 employees here in Birmingham.
“The building, which has previously served as First Federal Savings and Loan and The New City Church, now includes office space, meeting rooms, a production studio, and many other amenities for the Lewis employees.”
WBA is excited to be a part of the major expansion at Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. The expansion will create a total of 250,000 square feet of museum space.
“This expansion will help keep us as the benchmark for motorcycle collections worldwide, people visit Birmingham from all over the world to see this museum and its collection, and we want to continue to ‘wow’ them with what they see. With programs and events like the Porsche Sport Driving School, the Mercedes‐Benz Brand Immersion Program, the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and the Triumph Superbike Challenge, it’s important that we always present an impeccable image for our sponsors and fans.”
The firm was present as the City held the official "ground breaking" for the new City Hall and Police Building.
We had the honor of designing the new City Hall and Police Building which will serve the administrative functions of the City. As the City has grown over the past 50 years, the needs of the government has grown and the the existing City Hall has proven to be too small to accommodate the growth. The new 54,000-square-foot City Hall and Police Building will be located to the west of the Vestavia Plaza Shopping Center and is expected to be complete by September 2015. The new building will provide a civic presence and exterior green space.
Our own Kyle Kirkwood presented possible options to the leaders and citizens of Woodlawn at a recent “visioning session."
“Woodlawn’s redevelopment potential includes projects like a roadside café, a mix of shops by the “makers” who live there and even a marketplace for food trucks and pop-up shops, according to the visions from community leaders and a master planner.”