Almost a year after Temple started work on a four-story parking garage on the east end of Main Campus, construction on the project is nearing completion.The garage, located at 11th Street and Montgomery Avenue, is expected to be completed by May, James Creedon, senior vice president for construction, facilities and management, said.
“We recognized that as the campus grew we needed to provide additional parking opportunities for faculty and staff,” Creedon said. “In addition, we wanted to make more
University parking available to decrease the amount of parking that occurs on local streets.”
Creedon added that pressure would be taken off the local residents around Temple’s campus who must compete with its students and staff for parking spaces. University Architect Margaret Carney told The Temple News in 2011 that the garage would house more than 1,100 parking spaces. The project costs approximately $22.5 million, according to the Facilities Management website.
Final determinations have yet to be made on the pricing for parking at the new garage, though it should be expected to be similar to fees in existing parking facilities.
“While it is tough to compete with free, we hope that the convenience of not having to drive around looking for a space, the security of the garage and the location near so many academic facilities will make it much more attractive than parking on the neighborhood streets and walking in all kinds of weather to class or offices,” Creedon said.
Before Temple acquired the land where the garage now sits, the lot was used as a dirt parking lot, infamous for its lack of regulation and security. The university acquired the lot in November 2011.
Dominique Johnson can be reached at dominique.johnson@temple.edu.
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