Former Birmingham-Southern College campus to become Coast Guard training center

The former Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) campus is becoming a new training center for the United States Coast Guard.

The announcement was made today by Alabama U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville and BSC alum Congressman Robert Aderholt. They were joined by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday.

Since the college’s closing on May 31, 2024, the future of its 192-acre campus on the northwest corner of Birmingham has been up in the air. Since then, Miles College and Alabama A&M expressed interest in purchasing the campus, but neither finalized a deal.

BSC deal: Huge day for Birmingham

According to Senator Britt’s news release, last November the Coast Guard released a Request for Information and market research to identify a potential new training center location following record-breaking recruiting numbers. The USCG and DHS outlined several key requirements for the new facility, criteria that the BSC campus exceeded.

“This is a huge day for Birmingham, our great state, and the U.S. Coast Guard. I have long been dedicated to strengthening Alabama’s military installations and the warfighters they serve. This exciting announcement further positions Alabama as a national leader in supporting our incredible U.S. Armed Forces and law enforcement personnel.”

Senator Katie Britt

Alabama is not only the home of USCG Sector Mobile and the USCG Aviation Training Center, but the state also hosts several premier military installations that are critical to supporting the U.S. Armed Forces. This includes:

• Redstone Arsenal
• Federal Center of Excellence in Huntsville
• Army Aviation at Fort Rucker in the Alabama Wiregrass
• Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery
• U.S. Army center at Anniston Army Depot

The creation of the new training center on the grounds of the historic BSC campus means a lot to 1987 alum Rep. Aderholt.

“As a proud alumnus of Birmingham-Southern, it is important to me that this campus continues to serve those seeking to learn and improve their lives. I’m confident the United States Coast Guard will do exactly that.”

Rep. Robert Aderholt

Alabama is uniquely positioned to make this deal. Senator Britt is chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds DHS and USCG. Longtime Rep. Mike Rogers of Anniston is the Chair of the House Armed Services Appropriation Committee, and Rep. Aderholt has served on the House Appropriation Committee for three decades.

Do you miss the former BSC campus? Share with us your favorite memory and tell us what you think about it becoming a Coast Guard training facility be leaving a comment on social media at @bhamnow