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Sixth St. parking garage to be built for 2001

Construction on a new 1,700-space parking garage and office building on the south end of campus will begin this summer and should be completed in time for the 2001 fall semester.

Patrick Kass, director of the University of Arizona Parking and Transportation, said the garage will help alleviate the parking crunch the university faces.

"It's going to be a great addition to our parking inventory, especially to the south side of campus," he said.

The garage will be bordered by Sixth Street, Fremont Avenue, Lowell Street and Santa Rita Avenue. It will be 83,000 square feet, or about two acres, and be 55 feet tall. A separate office building will be built between the garage and Sixth Street to house Parking & Transportation Services.

Although the total cost of the project has not yet been determined, Kass said the bill will eventually be picked up by the students and faculty.

"Parking and Transportation will be paying for construction through user revenues," he said.

The garage will be used primarily by students in the new dormitories being built in the area of La Paz Residence Hall, as well as employees in the future sister to the existing Environmental and Natural Resources building and the future Health and Wellness Commons.

Between the Sixth Street Garage and the new Tyndall Garage - under construction north of Coronado Residence Hall - the university will have a net gain of 1,000 spaces.

Pam Simpson, a marketing freshman, said she is not looking forward to the erection of a new garage while Tyndall is still undergoing construction.

"It's going to be congested, unsightly and just a big hassle in general for students. They should space out the parking garage projects," she said.

Gina McLeod, a molecular and cellular biology senior, has a garage permit and said the new building will be a welcome addition to the campus.

"You always know where you're going to park when you have a garage permit, even on game days. So another garage would be nice," she said.

Margaret Goodwin, a plant sciences senior, said she agreed with McLeod.

"I think it'll be good for dorm people and the Rec Center, and they won't have to close everything down during games," she said.

The garage will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Landscape plans include sunshades to make the building appear smaller and cast shadows to create a welcoming presentation in the neighborhood. Trees will line Sixth Street and will be planted between the office building and the garage.