Parking lot uplifted to make room for building
By Natasha Khairullah
News Editor

Bulldozers and dirt mounds and barricades, oh my.

The newest construction site at the University of North Florida has landed in Parking Lot 7, where the new social sciences building will be. Along with the lot’s reconstruction comes a temporary loss of general parking spots during both summer A and B sessions and newly designated reserved and handicapped parking in Lot 9.

Lack of parking spots for fall, however, should not be a problem, according to Vince Smyth, director of auxiliary services.

Photo by Ian Witlen Parking Lot 7 behind the bookstore is getting plowed over to make room for the new social sciences building, which is scheduled to open September 2006.

“There are still places to park on campus now, and more spaces will become available for fall,” Smyth said.

Lot 7 previously contained 154 parking spots, 126 of which may be used for general parking. Though the lot will be redone with spaces by Aug. 15, the spaces will not be for general parking, but for visitors and handicapped drivers.

It will contain 18 handicapped spaces — which is three more than were in the lot last semester — 17 faculty and staff spaces, one reserved space and 42 visitor spaces.

The handicapped spots that were in Lot 7 before construction have been moved temporarily to the area behind the Mathews Computer Lab in Lot 9.

“We moved the spaces there because we have to meet ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] code requirement. They will not all stay there,” Smyth said.

Gary Jones, a senior accounting major, expressed concern over the construction.

“I think it’s an eyesore, and the dust flying around is annoying when you’re eating lunch in the courtyard,” Jones said.

The barricade erected between lots 7 and 9 will gradually move away from Lot 9 and will be an opening to the roadway that previously connected the two lots and provided an exit to Alumni Drive, according to Zak Ovadia, director of facilities planning.

“The building should be finished by September of 2006,” Ovadia said. “The barricades will move as construction progresses.”

Despite a loss of general parking in Lot 7, Lot 2, which is in front of the Carpenter Library, will open Aug. 15 and provide additional general parking. The first-floor entrance to the library, which faces Lot 2 and the lake, opened June 15.

Another option for parking is the North Lot. Students can purchase decals for $41 per semester or $69 for the year.

“The North Lot was underutilized last year,” Smyth said. “There were more spaces there last semester than purchased decals.” “It’s not as bad as it looks. I think if people actually park there and walk to campus, they will realize how easy and fast it can be.”

In addition to the newly opened spots near the library and North Lot, parking congestion typically occurring on the core of campus should be alleviated by the Freshman Parking Initiative, according to Everett Malcolm, vice president for student affairs.

Commuting freshmen will be required to park in the North Lot, making more parking available for upperclassmen in garages and general parking areas surrounding the interior of campus.

“Not only will freshman on campus be guaranteed parking, but they will pay a lot less and save time and frustration,” Malcolm said.

Contact Natasha Khairullah at spinnakernews@yahoo.com.