Auburn University Gulf Coast Engineering Research Station in Orange Beach receives final Board of Trustees approval
Published: Nov 15, 2024 10:20 AM
By Austin Phillips
Auburn University’s Board of Trustees gave its final approval Friday for the construction of a Gulf Coast Engineering Research Station in Orange Beach.
The two-story, 21,000-square-foot facility — to be located at 4775 Walker Avenue — will provide direct access to the Gulf of Mexico and consist of research laboratories, offices, large meeting spaces and outdoor gathering spaces on both stories of the south elevation overlooking Terry Cove. The station will provide a dedicated location for researching coastal environments and communities of the Gulf Coast while also providing opportunities for collaboration with other Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium institutions.
“We are thankful to the board for its continued support of this project that will benefit Auburn University, the state’s coastal communities and those who love and visit one of the most beautiful areas of this state,” said Mario Eden, dean of Auburn’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. “The opportunity for collaboration with our friends and partners in the city of Orange Beach, the University of South Alabama and other regional institutions and industries is exciting, and this gives us a home base to address some of the most pressing coastal issues related to infrastructure resiliency and environmental protection, restoration, sustainability and conservation.”
The estimated total project is $14 million, and it is being financed by grant funds from the RESTORE Council in cooperation with the State of Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The city of Orange Beach provided the land for the project.
The Board of Trustees initially approved the facility at its September 2022 meeting. The firm ArchitectureWorks was approved in November of that year to serve as the architect on the project.
Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said the city is proud to work with Auburn and other universities to create long-term solutions for the state’s Gulf Coast, and beyond.
“As I’ve said from the onset of this collaborative project, the city of Orange Beach is excited about the opportunity to partner with Auburn University and work with universities all over the country for the betterment and preservation of our vital coastal resources,” Kennon said.
The gulf station will focus on three broad coastal research areas: water quality and quantity protection and restoration; protection, restoration and conservation of habitat and living resources; and enhancing coastal community sustainability and resilience. In addition, it will also provide residents and visitors with a better understanding and appreciation of the natural, historical, cultural and environmental resources of the region through community outreach and continuing education opportunities.
Effects of natural and man-made disasters on the primary industries in the region have resulted in economic adjustments and dislocations primarily through reductions in tourism and the simultaneous effects on tourism-related industries; damage to public and private infrastructure; negative impacts to agriculture and fishing-related industries; and damage to the natural environment and natural resources.
Through the creation of this facility, Auburn University and its partners will engage in fundamental and applied research of critical importance to the coastal environment and communities of Alabama and the larger northern Gulf Coast region. The station will be dedicated to addressing all the goals and objectives set forth in the 2016 Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Comprehensive Plan.
The two-story, 21,000-square-foot facility — to be located at 4775 Walker Avenue — will provide direct access to the Gulf of Mexico and consist of research laboratories, offices, large meeting spaces and outdoor gathering spaces on both stories of the south elevation overlooking Terry Cove.
