TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — CBS 42 got a first-time preview of a big change coming to the University of Alabama: a virtual sneak peek inside the new Tutwiler Hall.
On Monday morning, the old Tutwiler building will be demolished and imploded by work crews at 7 a.m.
Mary Caton Davidson is a UA student who lived at the old Tutwiler two years ago. She is excited to see the new Tutwiler being prepared for new students coming to school in August.
“It is so exciting, and I am a little jealous of them and wish I could move in there,” Davidson said. “There is so much new great stuff in there. I will have to convince some of my friends to let me come in there whenever they get to move in.”
Davidson says it is bittersweet to see the old dorm demolished because her mother and other relatives lived in the building.
“Definitely Tutwiler has been here a long time,” Davidson said. “[My mother and I] lived there and lots of my family members lives in it, so it was cool to continue on that tradition. It’s been here so long and its been a great place I met some of my best friends there”.
The new Tutwiler Hall has a bed capacity of 1,284 and will feature state-of-the-art furnishings and amenities, with a hybrid community-apartment style setup of double-capacity bedrooms. Each room will feature two twin beds with a shared private bathroom.
The building will also feature public community spaces with TVs and white boards, outdoor social spaces, laundry rooms on each floor, a fitness area, craft room and large storm shelter which will also serve as a multipurpose room.
Davidson is excited to watch the old building come down Monday morning.
“I think it will be super neat to see one go down and one go up right after that,” Davidson said. “It’s cool they are having a watch party for it and live streaming it [since] I won’t be in town, but I will be watching the live stream […] because it will be neat to see.”
The new Tutwiler cost $145 million dollars to build.