Birmingham-based program management firm served as the construction manager and advisor for the five-floor residence hall in Starkville, Mississippi
HPM announced today the topping out of Azalea Hall, a new five-story student housing building on the Mississippi State University campus in Starkville, Mississippi, signifying construction has reached its highest point. Construction began in the summer of 2023 and is expected to be completed this summer, in time for students to move in for the 2025-2026 school year.
Azalea Hall will house 412 beds in a single-room, pod-style configuration, with shared baths and common areas. The building will feature a living and learning community for students in the Luckyday Scholars Program with a dedicated study area and classroom space and a new dining hall with indoor and outdoor seating. Additionally, the building will house a multi-use, FEMA-rated storm shelter, which will serve as classroom and meeting space as needed. Situated in the heart of campus looking at Davis Wade Stadium, Azalea Hall is the largest single project the university has broken ground on in its history.
“We have collaborated closely with our university partners to meet all deadlines throughout the construction of Azalea Hall, ensuring this project is ready in time for the next school year,” said P.J. Pearson, project manager at HPM. “We are thankful for our reliable contractors and for our invaluable partnership with Mississippi State in making every stage of this project progress smoothly. By drawing on our extensive experience in higher education construction initiatives, the HPM team continues to prioritize safety and efficiency to deliver this state-of-the-art, transformative development to campus.”
HPM is serving as the construction manager and advisor to the university for this project and will be involved in every aspect from the initial design stages to final closeout. HPM’s team continues to work with university officials and contractors to coordinate with the school’s schedule, prioritizing the safety of students, faculty and staff during construction. The project is adjacent to Old Main Academic Center, a central hub on campus. HPM has closely coordinated the logistics of bringing materials in and out of the site while making accessible alternative routes for students and has maintained constant schedule reviews and bimonthly meetings with the general contractor to meet interim deadlines.
Azalea Hall is the first partnership between HPM and Mississippi State. Additional project partners include WBA Architecture as the architect, Roy Anderson Corp. as the general contractor, GSK Mechanical as the mechanical engineer and The Power Source as the electrical engineer.
With a presence throughout the U.S. and a total management portfolio value of more than $1 billion annually, HPM has established itself as one of the industry’s leading program managers and owner’s representative companies. The firm’s other notable projects at higher education institutions include renovations to the library and nursing school buildings at Drake State Community and Technical College; Bank Independent Stadium, Bryant Denny Stadium, Sewell Thomas Stadium, Rhoades Softball Stadium, Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility, Coleman Coliseum and Mal M. Moore Athletic Facility at The University of Alabama; Daniel Meyer Coliseum and Lupton Baseball Field at Texas Christian University; The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Protective Life Stadium; and Texas Tech University’s Jones AT&T East Side Stadium. HPM also provided program management expertise for the construction of Regions Field and the renovation of Legacy Arena, both located in Birmingham, Alabama.
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About HPM
HPM provides comprehensive planning, design and construction-related experience to offer clients a one-stop approach to complete program management and owner’s representation. From real estate acquisition analysis and facilities assessments to construction auditing and move management, HPM services clients in aerospace, automotive, sports and entertainment venues, commercial and industrial, higher education, K-12 and state and local government. With a footprint of accounts, projects and offices spanning throughout the US, the HPM team manages its work for national and international clients while providing a flexible, scalable team of experts at just the right time in the life of your facilities. For more information, please visit www.hpmleadership.com.
