Parking lot project at a standstill
by Nikky Farmakes, Managing Editor

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When the old Rothwell Student Center was being torn down after serving students for over 35 years, there was one comforting thought: the space would be turned into a new parking lot and green space area for students to use over the summer. Now that classes have started, some are wondering where that parking lot is.

In the spring of 2010, work began to tear down the old student center, and to use the buildings materials to create the foundation for a new 150-space parking lot for the campus.

Nevertheless, construction on the new lot has seemingly stalled.

“It does not appear the parking lot will be under construction for a while,” says Thomas Fennessy, the Director of Facilities Management. According to Fennessy, the project has run into monetary mishaps due to state bidding and construction issues.

The new parking lot, which is to be located where the RSC stood, was to open at the beginning of this semester. The lot was planned to accommodate 150 to 200 parking stalls; still not enough to fill the void of a lost parking lot.

In May of 2008, Parking Services closed off Lot 11, the largest lot on campus, in order for the Yellowjacket Union to be built. However, in closing the lot, the campus lost 271 regular, handicapped and metered parking spaces.

Senior Ethan Russom remembers the old lot.

“Lot 11 was nice to use. It was centrally located and had tons of parking spots. Hardly anyone used Lot 2,” said Russom.

Lot 2 had to be expanded in the fall of 2008 due to the lack of parking created by the closure of Lot 11.

Yet, for some students finding a parking spot in Lot 2 is no trouble at all.

“So far I’ve always found a place to park, even if it is all the way back in the corner. I always park in Lot 2,” says Ashley Russell, a new freshman, “but I’ve only been parking here for two days.”

Until the budget and contract problems are solved, construction will not move forward.