By Steve Spencer
After the completion of the new UAB Medical West hospital and Cooper Green Outpatient Clinic in late 2024, healthcare construction continued at a fast past in 2025 with several major projects reaching the finish line.
In August, Southern Research opened its new biotechnology center. The 150,000 square foot building is the first major addition to the institute’s campus since 1987. The facility will enable Southern Research to accelerate the development of therapies using high-throughput chemistry with screening facilities capable of rapidly testing thousands of drug candidates to find the most promising treatments.
The biotechnology center will also host the institute’s new genomic research program, Catalyst, which will offer free genetic testing to identify risks for chronic diseases like, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers, empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health.
Construction for the $98 million project began in May 2022, and created 124 project-related jobs and generated more than $80 million in economic activity.
The project was financed through several sources. Southern Research, itself, committed $25 million toward the project. The Alabama Legislature appropriated $45 million in the 2023 state budget, which was the first direct state investment into the Southern Research campus. A combined $10 million was allocated by the City of Birmingham and Jefferson County. They also received financial support through a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant, although part of this was later rescinded by the Trump administration.
Also in August, UAB opened the new $156.7 million inpatient rehabilitation pavilion. With 134 beds, the 11-story facility is equipped with advanced technology in order to provide specialized neurorehabilitation care for stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury and other conditions.
Each floor is designed to treat specific patient populations, and the rooms all include overhead lifts. Patients also have access to technologies like robotic arm devices, tilt tables and virtual reality gait treadmills. A multisensory room helps reduce anxiety in patients with brain injuries, using LED lighting and calming music to create a soothing environment. The building also houses therapy gyms, private therapy rooms and speech therapy suites.
The new UAB Epilepsy Monitoring Unit is located on one floor. With 28 hospital beds, this unit will more than double patient capacity which will help alleviate pressure on some of the 54,000 Alabamians with seizure disorders, many of whom are waiting six or more months for an evaluation.
Outside, a rooftop garden helps patients work on mobility, while an outdoor park and simulated city streetscape allow safe practice on varied surfaces. An auto simulator prepares patients for car transfers, and there are recreational spaces that include a putting green and basketball court.
A number of new projects got underway this year, as well. In January, Montgomery-based Baptist Medical Center South began work on an expansion of their emergency department, adding over 11,000 square feet and 30 new treatment areas with completion expected by early 2026. Also in Montgomery, Southern Orthopedic Surgeons started work on an outpatient surgery center that will feature four operating rooms and two specialized procedure rooms.
Back in the Birmingham metro area, construction will start soon on the South Haven Surgical Plaza in Hoover. Located in Stadium Trace Village, the 80,000-square-foot medical campus will house an ambulatory surgery center with six operating rooms, two procedure rooms, along with imaging and diagnostic suites, and medical office space. Completion is planned for spring 2027.
