HPM to Manage $40 Million Recreation Center Project in Shelby County
The article below was written and shared by Birmingham Business Journal.
The city of Alabaster, AL is in the planning phases of bringing a $40 million recreation center to life over the next year.
The city has partnered with Birmingham-based HPM, a program management firm, to provide pre-construction and project management services for the construction of the city’s first comprehensive community recreation center.
The 118,000-square-foot recreation center will include an indoor facility with multiple meeting rooms, gyms, workout spaces and a walking trail. Outdoor facilities will feature two pools, renovated football and softball facilities, walking trails and a splash pad. Other components of the development include a new library that’s three to four times the size of the current facility and space for retail on the southern end of the project site.
Construction on the new development, which will be located at the intersection of Highway 119 and Thompson Road, is expected to start early 2025.
According to HPM’s vice president for the East region, Brooks Ballentine, the firm is starting the project with the end in mind while considering the most efficient and effective way to get there.
“It does take a lot of partners that HPM and the city are working with, from architects and engineers and other consultants,” said project manager Charles Phillips. “Really, HPM’s role as project managers and preconstruction managers is making sure that all parties are communicating effectively, and working and aligned to that same goal.”
Timing is critical for the project to stay on schedule and within budget. Delaying any project could cost an owner millions due to the cost and availability of materials and possibility of inflationary changes during the process. HPM monitors cost trends, inflation trends and makes recommendations for early procurement needs to project current construction costs and lock in a schedule.
Discussions are ongoing with the city of Alabaster and other project partners to factor in several considerations in terms of planning, such as relocating existing occupants ahead of work beginning, utilities services and potential future uses of the retail space, parking and access, topography challenges, and how the project will impact traffic and other nearby businesses and destinations.
“You’ve really got to look at it holistically,” Ballentine said. “You can’t really do any one piece by itself.”
HPM was selected as a partner on this project earlier this year and is actively moving forward, meeting with utilities providers and working with CMH Architects in the design phase.
“We came in at the right time and we’re super happy Alabaster trusted us to be part of this process, especially so early. That’s where we can provide the most value to owners — when they allow us to come in very early in the pre-planning and pre-construction design phase and really advise them and partner with all their community,” Phillips said.
