UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The recommended approval of the final plans and authorization to fund the West Campus Parking Garage and roadway connection project at the University Park campus at a cost of $60.57 million, was given today (Nov. 14) by the Penn State Board of Trustees Committee on Finance, Business and Capital Planning. The project will be presented to the full board for a vote on Nov. 15.
A recently completed master plan for the College of Engineering defines a multi-year, multiphase strategy prioritizing capital projects with the greatest short- and long-term impact, while thoughtfully stewarding the University’s resources. The intent of the overall master plan is to relocate a substantial portion of the College of Engineering into new buildings on the West Campus and to demolish aging and outdated facilities currently used by the college, including Hammond Building on College Avenue and the remaining Engineering Units behind Hammond.
The first phase will include consolidation of existing surface parking lots on West Campus into a new parking deck that will provide 1,653 parking spaces. The proposed parking structure, to be constructed on the existing Red A parking lot, will include six levels and is expected to make up for the loss of surface parking in advance of future planned building projects.
The site plan for the parking garage includes an extension of White Course Drive, two CATA bus stops, and an expanded stormwater basin with capacity for the planned future West Campus engineering buildings. The ground floor will include a bicycle workshop and the roof design will accommodate the possible future installation of solar panels.
The West Campus parking deck has been shown in various University plans for about 20 years and University officials have presented at public meetings to State College Borough, Ferguson Township and PennDOT throughout the planning process.
The Board of Trustees in July 2018 approved Clayco Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri, as the design build team for the project.