Demolition Work Begins On Tuscaloosa News Building To Make Way For Saban Center

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Crews began demolition work this week on the former Tuscaloosa News building as the city makes way for construction of the Saban Center.

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The building's imposing facade has been a fixture of Tuscaloosa's local architecture and for those crossing the Hugh Thomas Bridge from Northport into the city since it was first erected in 2002 when the daily newspaper was still owned by the New York Times Company.

The building was also home to the newspaper when its staff won a Pulitzer Prize in 2012 for its coverage of the deadly and devastating 2011 tornado.

The property was eventually purchased by the City of Tuscaloosa in 2019.

Plans call for the Saban Center to function as a state-of-the-art educational facility focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).

Construction of the Saban Center will be made possible by $15 million secured from private donors, including Nick and Terry Saban, along with $25 million from the state and $42 million from Elevate Tuscaloosa.

The Saban family initially gifted $1.25 million toward the project when it was first announced in 2019, before the Nick's Kids Foundation pledged $1 million in 2022.

The Saban family's contribution to the project now totals $5 million.

As Patch previously reported, design work on the Saban Center is expected to be complete by January 2025, followed by a groundbreaking that April.

The Saban Center is on track to open in June 2027.

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