In an effort to better accommodate its growing number of employees, the University of Alabama in Birmingham announced today that it has opened an Early Learning Center.

The addition to the school will help to address the growing need for child care at UAB. The new one-story building has increased the ability to accommodate 174% more children, including 228 children and 46 infants.

“We are pleased to open this new, thoughtfully designed facility that more than doubles our capacity to offer quality, accessible child care and early learning experiences,” said UAB President Ray L. Watts. “This investment reflects UAB’s continued commitment to supporting work-life balance and the success of our faculty and staff, which contributes to our collective success in achieving the strategic goals of Forging Ahead.”

The center will reportedly offer reduced tuition and discounted child care to not only UAB faculty and staff, but students as well.

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Brian Burnett, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, noted the effect that the new facility will have on UAB and also expressed gratitude towards those that worked to make the center a reality.

“The new Early Learning Center enhances the high-quality, convenient child care we have been providing for our employees, while offering a practical and financially sustainable solution,” said Burnett. “We appreciate the task force and faculty and staff’s commitment to the institution’s purposeful growth, keeping family care solutions at the forefront.”

The facility, located at 10th Avenue South and 11th Street between the Education and Engineering Complex and Birmingham City School’s EPIC Alternative Elementary, encompasses 18,500 square feet of space, including classroom and operational space, and a 9,700-square-foot exterior playground.

The total project cost of approximately $11 million is funded by the proceeds of a UAB bond issue and UAB Finance and Administration reserve funds.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.