FEASIBILITY STUDY ABOUT PARKING GARAGE ON CAMPUS

Feasibility Study about Parking Garage on Campus at Texas Southern University

Feasibility Study about Parking Garage on Campus at Texas Southern University

Build a Parking Garage at Texas Southern University Site

A parking garage t Texas Southern University, behind the Law School, would serve current and future needs for the university. Texas University's physical plant is continually evolving in order to support its education mission. Texas's comprehensive transportation plan and programs are regularly assessed and revised to keep pace with new developments on the campus. As new construction and renovation projects are undertaken, Texas reinvests in circulation and safety improvements, as well as replacement parking lost to building construction. The goal is to keep campus facilities and activities functioning efficiently by maintaining the current ratio of central campus parking spaces to the university population. Some surface lots in the central campus area have been identified as possible building sites. Other surface parking lots need to be reduced or eliminated because they conflict with safe pedestrian circulation and loading areas. Maintaining a balance between building density and green space appropriate to a central campus setting precludes many opportunities for construction of new surface lots. One solution is to replace lost parking spaces by building parking garages. Because parking garages have greater capacity than surface lots, more green space is preserved. (Young & Taylor 2011)

Up to 600 surface parking spaces are projected to be lost over the next decade on the central campus. The proposed garage location is capable of serving this high demand. A garage behind the Law School has the added advantage of providing parking for evening performances in Willard Straight Hall, Barnes Hall, and the Schwartz Performing Arts Center. The garage also will be available for evening and weekend visitors to the Collegetown area. Increased evening and weekend parking will also serve the users of the Law Library and the spiritual centers in Hannah Hall. Neighbors of the parking garage site, including Greek houses, small living units, and the Center for Jewish Living with its kosher dining hall will also be beneficiaries of this parking facility. (Young 2008)

Students who currently reside and park on west campus are not commuters and therefore move their vehicles infrequently. If the parking garage were used to accommodate west campus residents, a large portion of the garage would be used for extended storage of vehicles, reducing the space available for daytime central campus parkers and evening and weekend parkers.

After considering what types of parking would allow the best use of this location, it was determined that this location will best serve the parking needs of the central campus, performance spaces, and nighttime Collegetown activities.

Increase the Capacity of the Texas Southern University campus Parking Garage to Accommodate Displaced Parkers from Both Central Campus and West Campus

A feasibility study was conducted to explore the potential size and configuration of the proposed parking garage behind the Law School. Initially, the university had hoped to build a garage with an approximate capacity of between 500 - ...