A $182 million contract for construction of the new University of South Alabama Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine building has been awarded to Birmingham-based BL Harbert International.
The five-story, 295,000-square-foot building — a $200 million project slated for completion late in 2026 — will include 54,000 square feet of classroom space, a 16,000-square-foot anatomy lab, 92,000 square feet of research labs and a 32,000-square-foot vivarium.
The new facility will allow South to increase its medical school enrollment from 80 to 100 students per graduation class.
In Alabama, only South and the University of Alabama at Birmingham offer an MD degree; although two other schools offer DO degrees. Only 158 schools in the U.S. offer the MD degree.
“The growth of the Whiddon College of Medicine will allow us to educate and train more physicians and provide the instruction and lab space that match the high quality of training and research that are synonymous with a University of South Alabama medical education,” said South President Jo Bonner.
The medical school dean, Dr. John Marymount, added, “The Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine serves as a beacon of light for innovative research and quality medical education whose mission it is to meet the healthcare needs of Alabamians.”
Speaking for BL Harbert International, Senior Vice President Dan Price said, “We’re honored to work with the University of South Alabama on a legacy project that will significantly benefit our organizations.”
BL Harbert won the contract through a competitive bid process.
