The Shorthorn - Arlington City Council approves $18 million for new parking garage, retail space

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Arlington City Council approves $18 million for new parking garage, retail space

Written by Sharayah Sherrod, The Shorthorn staff

Tuesday, 26 January 2010 09:53 PM

Deputy City Manager Trey Yelverton discuses in front of Arlington City Council members the cities support of the universities College Park parking garage. Council members voted unanimously for the $18 million dollar project. (The Shorthorn: Jacob Adkisson)

The Arlington City Council voted unanimously to foot half the $36 million bill for the construction of College Park last night in its regularly scheduled city council meeting.

Deputy City Manager Trey Yelverton said the figure, based on current projections, will be split by the university and the city. Both sides would pay $18 million for the parking garage portion of the College Park project over a span of 30 years.

The parking garage is part of a mixed-use structure that will also house retail space and additional residence halls.

“We’ve talked before in our Champion Arlington meetings about what can the city do to help UT Arlington reach its aspirations,” said Yelverton.

“That is help them create a college town environment around their campus, to be strong for their researchers, their students and we believe this investment will go a long way toward supporting those efforts.”

Communications Vice President Jerry Lewis attended the meeting and said the council’s decision will indeed support the university in its efforts to attract students and faculty, retain them and continuously work toward Tier One status.

“This is a major step forward for the university and for the city,” Lewis said. “What has always been a good partnership is just getting stronger by the day. Having a mixed-use development like the new College Park, which was just approved tonight in terms of the parking garage, ... will make a big difference in the campus life component.”

Improving the campus life component is something Lewis says the university has sought student input on and hopes to deliver accordingly.

“It will add a lot of retail, which I think students have told us over and over that they really want — is retail — and I think that will make a big difference in the daily lives of students,” Lewis said.

The parking garage will potentially benefit the entire community, allowing the space to be used for things such as Fourth of July parade parking, First Baptist Church parking, city parking and university parking, making the project a partnership and collaboration.

“We greatly appreciate the support for College Park, our planned mixed-use development that will provide parking to support the increased activity coming to downtown Arlington and the UT Arlington campus,” President James Spaniolo said in an email. “This action by the City Council is tangible evidence that we are true partners in building a vibrant downtown.”

Yelverton said the agreement calls that UTA be charged with the design, ownership and maintenance of College Park. He said the university will hire additional police officers to work in the area, as well.

Set to be completed in 2012, College Park is part of the special events center project, which will create a new, more defined east campus boundary between South Pecan and South Center streets.

Bill Poole, facilities management and campus operations assistant vice president, and John Hall, administration and campus operations vice president, also represented the university at the city meeting.

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Comments (1)

1 Written by Todd Lucas, on 02-04-2010 09:55
I am wondering after reading this what the pans are in terms of student parking on that side of campus seeing as there is a trend of student parking being taken away with no contingency being made known of where we should park during its construction.

As it is right now the majority of students are forced to park in either the bog lot off Cooper, or in the big lot by the athletic building. Students have little choices left now in terms of parking.

If they go ahead with this new garage, students will be forced out of yet ANOTHER area of parking, and many students may be faced with yet another cost with annual tuition fees because at that point we will be given little choice BUT to get a garage pass as revenue for the University in a time of rising tuition and lower incomes for families to pay for it.

At this rate it would not surprise me one bit for the University to announce that the Cooper lat was going to be closed to build another parking garage, thus making virtually every student lot subject to a $100+ parking pass which no one wants to have to add to yearly expenses.

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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 January 2010 09:54 PM )

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