Construction will begin in March on the East Parking Garage, east of the Business Building and north of the Main Building.

The East Parking Garage will be the third multi-level parking garage on UTSA’s main campus. It has space to include a customer service center, coffee kiosk and a spirit shop.

The garage is scheduled to be completed in Summer 2012. The cost is projected to be $30 million, but will be funded through parking permits and short-term parking.

“The new parking garage will be very convenient, and I won’t have to worry about catching a shuttle to my car when class ends. I just hope the commuter permit does not increase,” said junior pre-nursing major Candis Tarawally.

Lot 4 contains 600 surface parking spaces. The new parking garage will double the availability of parking slots in UTSA, bringing the total parking spaces to 1,425. However, not all students are pleased with the change.

“I don’t think I like the idea of a new parking garage because I don’t know many people that park in the garage. Everyone I know purchases the commuter passes because they’re cheaper,” said junior criminal justice and psychology major Destiney Hicks. “It could help though because I do hear a lot of complaints about not being able to find parking, and that will be many more spots that we need.”

The areas that will be temporarily affected by the construction are Lot 3, Lot 4 and Lot 8. There will be about 300 fewer student parking spaces on the campus during construction.

Student permits and hourly parking rates will increase in the fall of 2011. In order for UTSA to meet the debt-financing requirements of the construction, the commuter student permit will cost $105 for the entire school year.

“I think the garage is very much needed. Considering the parking issues we’ve incurred with the growth of the school” said junior accounting major Jacory Brasfield.