The University of Alabama unveiled several newly renovated buildings throughout the campus this year. One renovation that has students talking is the Ferguson Student Center. 

The University of Alabama got approval for the project in 2011 and broke ground on the renovation in 2013. After completion, the Ferguson Center increased in size by about 75,000 square feet. The new interior is clean, minimalist and welcoming to students. There is now more seating so that students can gather and organizations can host meetings. 

The building continues to house the SUPstore on the first floor, as well as Starbucks. The SUPstore is now much more spacious, complete with hard wood floors and a larger selection of spirit wear, school supplies and more for students and visitors to choose from. There are also offices for several on-campus organizations as well as administration. The newly renovated office space is for the Student Government Association, the Dean of Student Affairs and the Blackburn Institute.   

The Career Center also benefited from the renovation. The Career Center is located on the third floor and now is more open so that students can find it easily and take advantage of the services it offers. The Career Center went from having 11 offices to 18, and expects to serve more students than ever before thanks to the improvements.   

On the second floor, students now can find a variety of food options. The dining hall previously located at the Ferguson Center, Fresh Foods, has now been moved to a separate building near Rogers Library. With this move, there is now more room for students to sit. The new restaurants include Wendy’s, Panda Express and Auntie Anne’s pretzels. The restaurants that were previously there, Subway, Chick-Fil-a, Union Market and Topio’s, all received renovations and expansions.   

The Ferguson Center is now becoming more like an indoor version of the Quad. Instead of students visiting for supplies or to get a meal before class, it has turned in to a comfortable, social gathering spot. Students can now find a quieter place to study or a bench to share with friends while drinking a coffee. The renovation has made it possible for students to take advantage of all that the University of Alabama has to offer. 

Source: The Tuscaloosa News, Birmingham Business Journal