UAB Briefs: New Habitat home, MedWest news, art exhibit
Welcome to another installment of UAB Briefs.
In this weekly online feature, we keep track of interesting people and events on campus.
Know people, places and programs on the UAB campus that deserve a mention? Email jchambers@starnespublishing.com.
BENEVOLENCE AT WORK
UAB employees recently volunteered to build another home with Habitat for Humanity.
The new house, located in East Lake at 217 68th St. S., was to be dedicated at a ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 1, at at 12:15 p.m.
All UAB employees were invited to attend the dedication and tour the home
The work was funded by the UAB Benevolent Fund, which is managed by UAB employees.
The home was built by 523 UAB volunteers who contributed nearly 2,000 hours of work. Construction on the project began Sept. 20.
This is the fifth house constructed by UAB volunteers, who have worked nearly 12,000 hours on those builds.
To see photos from the various stages of this year’s build on the UAB Benevolent Fund’s Flickr page, click here.
NO HOOVER MOVE FOR UAB MEDWEST
UAB Medical West hospital has decided to relocate to McCalla instead of land near the Trace Crossings community in Hoover, hospital CEO Keith Pennington announced on Friday, Oct. 26.
MedWest will follow what Pennington called its “original strategy” and build a new hospital at Exit 1 off I-459 in McCalla, according to a news release from UAB.
The land at the site was purchased by MedWest prior to the city of Hoover approaching the hospital, according to Pennington.
“While we were open to considering another site, we weighed many factors and have ultimately decided that McCalla is the best location for MedWest to continue to serve Jefferson County,” he said.
“In order to properly serve the residents of west Jefferson County, we need to build a modern hospital to replace current MedWest inpatient offerings, as well as repurpose the current MedWest facility to support the care of the people of Jefferson County,” Pennington said.
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato had proposed spending $20 million in incentives to help bring the new facility to his city, according to a report by our sister publication, Hoover Sun.
However, some Hoover City Council members and Trace Crossings residents expressed opposition to the project.
In a statement on Oct. 26, Hoover City Administrator Allan Rice said, “We are comfortable that UAB Medical West has made the decision they feel is indicated for the long-term viability of their health care network."
THE FACULTY IN THE UAB
An exhibition of works by faculty at the UAB Department of Art and Art History, called “Interlude/Inquiry,” will open Monday, Nov. 5, at the Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts on campus and remain on view through Saturday, Dec. 8.
“Interlude” is a recurring quadrennial exhibition series at AEIVA featuring DAAH studio faculty and staff.
“I encouraged many of the exhibiting faculty to step out of their comfort zones and contribute works that fall outside the boundaries of what they would be generally expected to exhibit,” said John Fields, AEIVA curator.
The exhibit will include a free reception on Friday, Nov. 9, 6-8 p.m., which is open to the public.
For more information regarding the arts faculty, click here.