After decades of conception, the University’s first parking garage will begin to materialize Jan. 31.
The 750-space garage will sit across from the Student Union on the corner of Highland Road and Raphael Semmes Road. It was a part of the original parking master plan commissioned by former chancellor Mark Emmert in 2003 and approved by former chancellor Sean O’Keefe in 2005, said Gary Graham, director of the Office of Parking, Traffic and Transportation.
The parking master plan, known as Easy Streets, included plans for a garage to be completed in 2010 and for the University to begin evaluating another in 2011, Graham said. Though the project was delayed, the garage is the final and most expensive piece of the plan.
“The garage is the crown jewel of the master plan,” Graham said.
The University’s master plan called for eight garages to be built throughout the course of 50 years, Graham said.
For reasons including planning and the economy, construction on the garage has been delayed about a year, Graham said. The University sold bonds to pay for the garage, but the market was high in recent years, which delayed construction.
However, because of the current economic climate, the University was able to achieve an overall smaller cost. The final cost of the garage is $22.2 million, said Emmett David, director of facility development.
“In the end, the delay was actually helpful because we were able to get a better price,” Graham said.
Half of the garage’s 750 spaces are reserved for paid visitor parking, much like what is currently available in front of the Union, Graham said. The other half is zoned for faculty and residential student parking, Graham said.
The garage also includes a 60,000-square-foot bookstore, which David said will create a better flow for campus visitors.
The space vacated by the current LSU bookstore will be used for Career Services, which is currently housed in three separate buildings, David said.
“We’re trying to create a better-flowing and better-organized campus by keeping units together, which is good for everyone,” David said.
While the University was able to save the trees surrounding the Union during construction, the garage was different, David said. The construction resulted in the destruction of two live oak trees.
The University incurred extra cost planning the construction around existing trees, David said, but two were situated so that construction would have been impossible. Upon further investigation, the University arbor crew found the trees had been damaged by lightning and had hollow cores, David said.
“The live oaks are the jewel of our campus,” David said. “We appreciate that and try to mitigate when it’s necessary to tear them down.”
The University planted a new tree on the roundabout on Field House Drive to replace the two lost.
Tenants of the centers on Raphael Semmes, including the Women’s Center, African American Cultural Center, Agnes Morris House and Old President’s House, will be vacated Jan. 28 in preparation for construction and will be temporarily located in Hatcher Hall, David said. New facilities for these centers are part of the garage construction, David said.
The contractor will receive notice Jan. 31 from the University to proceed, David said. After the notice, the contractor will use the first few months to prepare for construction, which includes fencing, protecting live oak trees and roots, and demolishing the centers, David said.
The garage must be completed within 12 months, depending on the weather, with an opening planned for the beginning of the spring 2012 semester, David said.
“We’re all very excited — we’ve been working on this for 29 years,” Graham said.
Jeffrey Hathorn, sports administration sophomore, said streamlining on-campus traffic is a good idea.
“Parking is terrible on campus, so anything to help make commuting easier is welcome,” he said.
 
 
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Contact Logan Leger at [email protected]