Library parking lot alteration underway

Construction started last Friday, May 24, at the Herman B Wells Library parking lot.
This lot will eventually be the new home of the School of Global and International Studies.

Doug Porter, director of IU parking operations, said that the west half of the Wells parking lot will house the new building.

“In the final plan, about two thirds of the existing east half of the parking lot will return as parking spaces,” Porter said.

These spaces will be spots for employees of the library and handicapped parking spaces.

He explained the change to the parking lot as essentially the same lot, just smaller.
There will be another parking garage built, but the details have not been finalized, Porter said.

“It will be somewhere in the vicinity of the main library, somewhere on the main side of campus,” Porter said.

For the duration of the project, the staging area for construction will take up the majority part of the parking lot. This staging area is used for the materials and equipment, Porter said.

“It will look like it’s taking up the whole lot,” Porter said.

Jim Halliday, a software programmer at the libary, said that the loss of a parking lot will have a definite impact on the library, despite the number of nearby spaces that have been changed to library use only.

“There are only so many spaces they can convert,” Halliday said. “I think it will still be an issue in the end. They aren’t really adding any spaces overall, they are just changing them.”

According to a letter from Provost Lauren Robel, the location of the School of Global and International Studies will be beneficial.

“The new school’s proximity to the Wells library and our fine arts buildings will be of great benefit to the campus community,” Robel said.

In the letter, Robel addressed library staff who are worried about finding somewhere to park.

“Please be assured that parking for faculty and staff will continue to be available in the vicinity of the Wells library and that parking for A and C permit users will be expanded in nearby lots and garages.”

Porter expects that people will use the 11th and Fee garage, 10th street parking lot and Jordan Avenue garage as parking for the library.

“Those are the places we would expect people to move to to get to their place of work,” Porter said.