A groundbreaking ceremony was held Oct. 22 for the third and final phase of construction on the new Faulkner University College of Health Sciences in Montgomery, Ala., due to donations of nearly $3.6 million.
Representatives from the Christian-based university, along with supporters from the county, city and state, were present at the kickoff event.
The final phase will include a complete "brick and mortar" facelift of the university building itself, a reworking and landscaping of the parking area, and the addition of a bridge that will connect the main campus with the east campus where the College of Health Sciences is located, according to a news release from Faulker University.
The updated parking area and front entrance will include a concourse and a porte-cochere, or carport, directly in front of the building so patients can enter the free therapy clinic with ease and be shielded from the weather.
In addition, the concourse will connect to the bridge, which will cross the drainage channel near the Faulkner Law building and end at the Rotunda. The plan for the bridge currently consists of two lanes for pedestrian traffic and an 8-ft. sidewalk wide enough for golf carts.
"Artistic renderings reflect the updated façade will match the collegiate and professional styles of the buildings on the main campus," explained Faulker President Mitch Henry. "The overall project, plus the addition of the bridge and concourse, will make for an overall aesthetically pleasing look that will attract students and be consistent with the high-quality of education and clinical services being provided within.
"This is a building we expect to last for many years and provide a meaningful and positive impact on healthcare needs for our citizens, in particular those with special needs," he continued. "We believe the investment we have made in the College of Health Sciences is a worthwhile investment, and so we want it to have more of a welcoming and professional appearance."
Work to Be Done in Stages to Lessen Impact On University
Preliminary planning and construction permits have been completed, approval has been granted from the Montgomery Department of Public Health, and construction is slated to begin on the bridge by January with a tentative completion set for the end of next April.
The entire building effort is expected to take up to a year, according to the university.
Marshall Design-Build LLC in Montgomery, which was responsible for the construction and completion of the prior two phases at Faulkner University, will continue their work to complete the final section. The bridge portion of the project will be built by Newell Road Builders Inc., based in Hope Hull, Ala.
While construction is under way, classes will continue as normal. Marshall Design, though, has assured the university that every effort and precaution will be taken to maintain the safety of students, staff, faculty and patients. To ensure that, the work will be performed in stages to impact the fewest people.
Faulkner's College of Health Sciences' clinic will continue to provide services during this time as well. Additionally, the clinic is now able to provide services in both speech language pathology along with occupational therapy to both adults and children.
"Faulkner is doing amazing things for our city, our community, and our district," Montgomery City Council member Ed Grimes said at the groundbreaking. "[It] is breathing new life into these [former] retail buildings in a major way, not to mention the great things that are being done inside in the way of healthcare for our community."
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