Almost 200 student parking spaces in Lot 3 are permanently lost due to the construction of the Art and Interactive Multimedia (IMM) Building.
Matthew Golden, executive director of Public Relations and Communications, said the parking spaces, which were lost despite a reconfiguration of the lot during the summer, were in the footprint of the new building.
According to Golden, Metzger Drive Parking Garage, Lot 6, will supplement the remaining parking spaces in Lot 3.
"Metzger Garage was designed to accommodate the student parking that was eliminated by the construction of the athletic complex and the new Art and IMM Building," Golden said. "Metzger Garage will be able to handle the bulk of student spots no longer available in Lot 3."
Construction of the Art and IMM Building began the week after the 2008 commencement, following a groundbreaking ceremony on April 25.
According to Golden, construction on the building is occurring daily. Workers are currently pouring the concrete walls of the basement.
"We have a goal of structural steel being complete by mid-February," Golden said. "We would like the basement complete during this semester."
The 70,000 square-foot building will comprise three stories of lecture halls, classrooms, offices, computer labs and other facilities.
It is also being constructed according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification requirements, supporting the College's commitment to sustainability.
Golden said the College has no plans to increase student parking. He said additional parking would be unnecessary as the College has no intention of increasing student enrollment.
He said the need for student parking spaces will lessen if there is an increase in public transportation usage among students.
The College is trying to decrease dependence on cars and reach climate neutrality as part of the American College & University President's Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), signed by College President R. Barbara Gitenstein in 2007.
"An important step towards reducing our climate-damaging emissions is to reduce our reliance on automobiles and increase the use of public transportation," Golden said.
Following the signing of the ACUPCC, the President's Climate Commitment Committee was established to determine steps that should be taken to achieve climate neutrality at the College.
According to the College's Web site, "climate neutrality is defined as having no net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, to be achieved by minimizing GHG emissions as much as possible, and using carbon offsets or other measures to mitigate the remaining emissions."
Golden said the building should be completed in December 2009.
He said, "The project is currently on schedule and we anticipate that it will be completed on time."
