Kaleb Poor
The Board of Trustees of the University of Wyoming are moving forward with their housing plan, which proposes the construction of new residence halls and a reduction in parking availability near the Student Union.
The housing plan, with a budget of $103 million, proposes the construction of two to three new residence halls to the north and east of Half Acre Gymnasium, the demolition of multiple parking lots and existing structures and construction of a parking garage on Ivinson Avenue.
Wyoming Hall, which is best known for housing UW’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) groups, would be demolished, as would the parking lot east of the Student Union. The lot would be converted into a “Prexy’s Pasture 2,” and Wyoming Hall would be replaced with a new residence hall.
Employees currently working in Wyoming Hall would be “relocated to Hill Hall on King Street, either temporarily or permanently as best determined by the University,” according to the Trustees report. Currently, there is no published long-term plan for those employees.
“They’re going to build a parking garage,” said Lindsey Mergelman, an office staffer in Wyoming Hall. “It’s only going to have two to three hundred parking spaces in it… and they’re taking away over 400 parking spaces.”
Minutes from the Trustees’ meeting on May 8 indicate that the number of parking spaces on the chopping block is more than Mergelman indicated. Campus Architect Matthew Newman reported at that meeting that the anticipated reduction in parking is roughly 600 spaces.
A bill opposing the housing plan, authored by ASUW senators Tanner Greig, Kevin Milburn and Swilling, was introduced at Tuesday’s ASUW meeting.
“We already have limited parking on campus, especially immediate parking,” said ASUW president Jason Wilkins. “Any loss of that, they’re definitely against. And I think in the grand scheme of things, most students would be pretty against any loss of parking.”
Wilkins did not comment on his stance toward the bill, but did express his support for the construction of new residence halls closer to the center of campus.
“Half Acre – we did some checking with them to see what their numbers look like,” said Wilkins. “The biggest spikes they get in card swipes are after 5 p.m. and before 8 a.m.”
Permit requirements for parking in the Student Union lot are enforced from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, suggesting that students use the lot regularly to access Half Acre Gym.
The ASUW bill – which is expected to be voted on next Tues. – cites numerous data taken from student surveys on campus parking. The bill includes the following statistics:
- 57.77% of the individuals on the UW campus tend to drive to and from campus.
- 92.52% of individuals on campus own a motorized vehicle.
- 58.73% of individuals have been late to a class, meeting or other obligation [due to lack of parking].
- 68.77% of respondents reporting that they believe an increase in available parking should be the number one priority for UW investment over the next ten years.
- 89.50% of respondents reported that creating more parking should be one of the top three priorities for UW over the next ten years.
While students’ opposition is apparent, UW is moving forward with the plan. According to their mandatory Oct. 1 report, the Housing Task Force recommended the “immediate demolition of Wyoming Hall and any other demolition work needed on the northeast corner of campus…,” according to the report.
The residence hall that will replace Wyoming Hall is expected to accommodate 400-450 students and stand at a height of 55-60 feet. Also of note in the report is an emphasis on “retail space,” which will be included in any new residence hall and the parking structure on Ivinson Avenue.
The next meeting of the Trustees’ task force on housing is Nov. 22 at 1 p.m., and Board of Trustees Chairman Dave True will speak at the ASUW meeting next Tues., where he is expected to comment on the matters.
