The new Gateway Parking Complex is slated to finish in December 2022, but with one stipulation — the garage is designated for faculty and staff only.
The seven-level parking structure started construction in June 2021 and will include 811 spaces, including ADA, service and electric vehicle spaces; electric vehicle spaces will be equipped with chargers that can be used for a small fee. There will also be 40 hourly parking slots that can be paid by phone or by the machine from a dispenser.
The director at Facilities Services of Parking and Transportation Services is confident in the layout and features that will be included in new parking complex.
“This garage is really exciting because we have not had ample parking on the south end of campus in a long time,” said Horton. “So this parking garage provides 811 new parking spaces on the south end of campus where we desperately need it.”
Faculty and staff working on the south end of campus, had no convenient parking but soon will have the option to pay to park in closer proximity than before. Although at the time the garage is mainly for those working at the university, there are some spaces that allow anyone to pay for timed parking. The garage also permits students to use the parking complex in the evening with a designated pass.
“If there is availability later, then we can reconvene and see whatever parking should be designated,” Horton said.
Currently, the majority of faculty and staff park at the Brian J. Whalen Complex on the north end of campus near Wiegand Fitness Center.
“I think a lot of faculty and staff from Whalen will move to Gateway because their offices are located on the south end of campus, and then we will have more room in Whalen for either maybe more hourly spaces or even some overflow residence spots, for the dorm kids,” Horton predicts.
Many students are worried that there is not enough parking for them on campus. A lot of students are shocked the Gateway parking structure had been recently announced as solely a faculty and staff parking structure.
“The major issue is not that the new parking garage is only for faculty and staff, it is that there is not enough parking on campus in general for everyone that goes to school or works at UNR,” Sophomore student at the University of Nevada, Reno Carly Sanguinetti said.
Students will have the option to use the parking complex after 5:30 p.m. if they have a green or blue parking pass. This allows students with a valid parking permit to choose to park there in the evening and walk to the south end locations of campus using the pedestrian bridge attached to the parking complex.
According to Chris Cox, the design project manager, the structure of the parking complex is complete. Currently, the construction is at the final stages as they are adding the finishing touches to the new parking garage. Cox said that, the parking complex is built up to the highest level it is going to be and that they are currently working on finishes and painting on the interior. The crew is also working around the perimeter of the site work and some of the utility projects that are on-going.
Madison Wanco can be reached at mw****@***********nr.edu or via Twitter @madison_wanco or @NevadaSagebrush.
