About the Building

Auburn’s New Home

Located in downtown Birmingham, the former Hood-McPherson Building stands as a historic icon that pays homage to the city’s rich architectural heritage. Built in 1914, the building served as the showroom for Hood-McPherson Furniture for more than seven decades. The six-story, 44,000-square-foot building was designed by architect Harry Wheelock and constructed by the Carroll Blake Construction Co. The building has stood tall amid the city’s changing urban landscape, providing the right structure for its next chapter.

Following its purchase by Auburn University in 2018, the building underwent extensive renovations, with architects from Williams Blackstock to revitalize its space to serve the Birmingham community again. Under the leadership of Auburn’s President, Dr. Christopher B. Roberts, the Hood-McPherson Building completed its transformative renovation in 2024 to create a vibrant resource that bridges academia and business with community engagement.

The building provides a permanent home to Auburn’s College of Architecture, Design, and Construction (CADC) and the Harbert College of Business (HCOB). Signifying more than just physical spaces, both colleges, along with the Provost’s Office, symbolize Auburn’s continuing commitment to Birmingham.

The building is the new permanent home to the Urban Studio, a critical part of CADC’s Architecture program, where students are immersed in the extraordinarily rich “laboratory” of downtown Birmingham, engaging in work that includes professional seminars and studio design projects focused on community development and urban planning. Additionally, the building will serve as a listening post—a place where Auburn can better understand the needs and challenges of the community and apply its research expertise to address them.

As the university’s permanent home, the Hood-McPherson Building is a testament to its storied past and promising future, fostering creativity, collaboration, and innovation within its historic walls.