Progress • The
Lot 11 parking structure is approximately half completed, with the foundation
and underground utilities finished. Officials anticipate construction of the
four-story structure to end in Septmber. Tracey Roman /
Online Forty-Niner
Lot
11 structure hits halfway mark
By Keng Baloco-Wong
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
The $22 million parking structure being constructed in Lot 11 is progressing
as planned with over 50 percent of it finished, and is expected to be fully
completed by the first week of September.
The construction crew finished the hardest part of the project: building the
foundation and underground utilities of the four-story structure as well as
overcoming soil problems.
Inspector of Record Mark Zakhour said the project will be completed by the
deadline.
“
We are working on the third level,” said Zakhour.
Things have been going smoothly for the construction crew who has been working
hard to finish the job on time and according to the university’s standards.
They have a very good team of architects, consultants and construction workers
who labored vigorously to make the project happen.
The construction project has affected hundreds of students. According to Associate
Vice President of Physical Planning and Facilities Management Scott Charmack,
last semester parking was “impacted with a loss of over 800 parking spaces.”
The loss of the parking spaces in Lot 11 created traffic on campus roads with
students driving around desperately looking to find vacant parking spaces as
close to their classes as possible. Zakhour said students can expect the same
to occur this semester.
Senior Wendy Sosa is frustrated with the parking situation on campus.
“
It took me an hour and 15 minutes to find parking around the pyramid,” Sosa
said. “My class is near the LA buildings and I was late because of parking.
I paid $98 for the parking sticker and I can’t even find somewhere to
park.”
Sosa is considering parking on the neighborhing streets and walking a few blocks
to
campus.
“
It is a short term issue that we need to deal with,” Charmack said.
The inconvenience, while temporary, will produce worth-while results.
To ease the inconvenience, CSULB students are offered free parking at the Veteran
Memorial Stadium with shuttles available to take students to and from campus.
Shuttles start running at 8 a.m. and stop at 7 p.m.
According to Charmack, the university is getting ready for another big project.
The University Library will be next in line for some major construction work.
There is $26 million set aside to pay for the new project.
The project consists of remodeling the library itself. A Starbuck’s coffee
shop will be added to the first floor, as well as installing an automatic book
retrieval system and a library satellite system for music and theater purposes.
The second and third floors will be renovated as well as minor work to the
structure.
The date has yet not been set for the upcoming library project.
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