Melissa Meek, Spring 2009 Features Editor
Parking Lot 1, near Administration, is closed as of today to make room for 100 additional faculty spaces.
The lot will remain closed for the rest of the fall semester while new faculty spaces will be added.
“We planned this after getting Lot 8 online so there will be more parking out there for the displaced students,” said Paul Nieman, director of plant facilities.
The newly opened Lot 8, containing 700 spaces, may reduce some of the parking hassle caused by this closure, but a main concern is that Lot 1 is closest to many important buildings. It also includes the closest handicapped spaces to Administration and many classes.
“This lot is the closest to my two classes and, being handicapped, I don’t know where I’m going to park now,” said Pierce College student Stacey Silver. “It’s not necessary. They could section off part of the lot without closing it entirely.”
“We always need staff parking. More agreed,” Nieman said.
Student Jackie Nova disagreed, saying, “Students need the spaces more. The ratio of students to teachers is a lot more.”
Several rows of spaces outside of the Child Development Center in Lot 7 at Victory Boulevard and Mason Avenue are reserved for faculty, but Nieman says those are only temporary. Plans to add permanent staff parking in that lot have not been confirmed.
“I have to be here an hour early just to try to find a space in Lot 1. It’s already a struggle just to find someone who is leaving,” Nova said. “I can’t get here any earlier than I already do. I have a little boy to think about.”
Nieman says the Lot 1 project is scheduled to take 90 days.
“We’re using the same contractor that finished Lot 8, so they’ve proved they can meet the schedule and we’re happy to be using them again,” he said.
The road just outside of the Administration Building that allows service vehicles to travel will be removed and incorporated as part of the new lot.
The improved lot will extend south toward the new Student Services Building, right up to the new pedestrian mall, still under construction.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Nova, who thinks closing the lot when enrollment has increased nine percent was a mistake. “I’m going to have to buy a bike.”
The lot should be open no later than Jan. 1, according to Nieman.
Erica Obando walks past Parking Lot 1 Tuesday. Obano is upset about the lot closing ()