TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The University of Alabama at Birmingham is working on early plans for a $40 million to $45 million renovation of its student center that would make it the focal point of an upgraded campus, university officials told the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees on Thursday. http://www.uasystem.ua.edu/

Richard Margison, UAB vice president for financial affairs, presented preliminary plans for re-doing the Hill University Center and several other changes to campus.

The board's Physical Property Committee approved the requests, as well as UAB's property swap with the City of Birmingham that will allow the city to build a new downtown baseball stadium.

Margison said early design ideas for Hill call for tearing down the one-story buildings that house Blazer Cafe, the campus bookstore and the Great Hall, renovating the six-story office building and constructing a new, two-story wraparound facade that would enlarge and update the aging student center.

"We kind of want it to be a 'wow' project," Margison said.