Owner: university of alabama

Location: tuscaloosa, AL

Project Size: 20,498 SF

Originally built in 1915 as the university’s first stand-alone gymnasium, Little Hall now serves as the home of the School of Social Work. Over the years, its ornate wood cornice and entablature deteriorated, with previous repairs stripping away much of the original detailing, leaving a simplified facade that no longer reflected the building’s historic character.

BPA led the restoration effort to restore Little Hall’s exterior to its early 20th-century grandeur. The team conducted a meticulous investigation with limited documentation available, referencing archival photographs to reconstruct the lost details accurately. Instead of wood, a durable and low-maintenance material was chosen for the new cornice and entablature, ensuring longevity while seamlessly reintegrating this landmark into the architectural fabric of the campus.