ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan Board of Regents today approved the construction of a new 500-car parking structure near the medical campus. Walker Parking, an international architecture and engineering firm from Kalamazoo that specializes in parking designs, was approved to design the project.

The new structure will be built in the 1100 block of East Ann Street and will connect to the existing Catherine Street parking structure at the ground level. Currently, the property is occupied by an old, small parking lot and a temporary surface parking area.

“This structure will help us respond to the growing demand for parking facilities in the medical campus area,” said Hank Baier, associate vice president of facilities and operations. “In September, we presented to the regents our five-year parking and transportation plan that highlighted the newly opened Palmer Drive parking structure—a 1,000-car facility—as well as a previously approved 465-space structure with the new Cardiovascular Center. “This third facility along with convenient mass transportation services will help the Health System and Medical School faculty and staff continue to provide world-class education, research and medical services.”

Polshek Partnership, the architectural firm responsible for the design of the new Biomedical Science Research Building being built south of the proposed structure, will serve as an advisor for design issues during this project.

The project is estimated to cost $13 million, which will be funded from parking resources. The design is scheduled to begin next month.

U-M’s Parking and Transportation Services currently manages more than 23,000 parking spaces for faculty, staff, students and visitors, as well as provides mass transportation for 4.5 million passengers annually.

U-M Parking, Transit and News