University of Michigan to discuss planned Wall Street parking structure with residents
A rendering of the Wall Street parking structure proposed by the University of Michigan.
Photo courtesy of University of Michigan
The U-M Board of Regents approved the schematic design for the garage earlier this month.
The parking structure has been heavily contested since it was first proposed in 2008. Partially due to discontent among nearby residents, in 2009 U-M cancelled its plans for a parking structure on Wall Street in favor for the Fuller Road Station, a parking structure and transport station to be completed jointly with the city.
Yet due to slow movement on the Fuller Road project, the university announced in February that it was scrapping its involvement on that project and revisiting plans for a parking garage on Wall Street.
The 700-space Wall Street parking structure will be built atop a 200-space existing parking lot.
Tuesday's meeting is the second community gathering held by U-M to discuss the parking structure. The first was in late April.
Tuesday's meeting will be held on the seventh floor of the Kellogg Eye Center.
Comments
UtrespassM
Wed, Aug 1, 2012 : 3:55 p.m.
Who will like to be a homeowner around a public parking garage? The area will have more problems on the road during the day, more crimes in the garage during the night.
swcornell
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 9:43 p.m.
Have they found out if the CEO is for or against gay marriages so we know if this is a good project or not?
UtrespassM
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 9:14 p.m.
How many UM employees are working in the eye center? How many of them will pay at least $600/year to park their cars in the wall street garage? Suggestion: To build a underground parking garage with 350 lots, and a park on the ground level. Goals: 1. Enough covered parking space for employees working in the eye center. 2. A park for both the residents and the employees. 3. A green land for the city.
LXIX
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 8:26 p.m.
Right... "Today's world" cannot just keep building for more myoptic people in an abstract bubble. There are already signs of real civilization collapse impacting teflon Ann Arbor. Endless war, climate upset, economic pyramid scams, no-solution-gridlock.government Fixed resources are scarce. Food and energy costs will soon be a big issue for everyone. Real let-them-eat-cake competition then quickly ensues - not just for valet service. either. Not too many business or government leaders really know what to do with a shrinking population. No model to follow. Yet that is the likely solution. Fewer voters, taxpayers, consumers, wasteful products. More expensive labour in smaller and more entrepreneural and self-accountable companies. Wall Street investments? Ha Ha Ha. While the great leaders of the West, self-anoited with esteemed degrees in Thinkology should offer some guidance, looks more like yesterday's leftovers than "today's real world" to me. I am packed. My other planet is alsways UP.
LXIX
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 10:26 p.m.
Sorry to confuse you Goober this was supposed to be for @Worthless under my original post.
Goober
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 9:29 p.m.
Huh?
Itchy
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 8:24 p.m.
When is Mary Sue taking over the city? UofM has deep enough pockets to absorb the pension and health care liabilities. They sure do rule when it comes to expansion plans. They might as well take over running the city too.
ChrisW
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 6:44 p.m.
Just ONCE I'd like to see a parking structure in Ann Arbor where you don't have to drive around each level in circles to find an open spot. Put in an outside ramp from the bottom to top, either straight or corkscrew.
Brad
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 6:38 p.m.
Prepare youselves for a "greater good" lecture, residents.
DJBudSonic
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 6:08 p.m.
Love to go but 4 hours of notice is kind of short notice good thing I read the news regularly. I had not seen nor heard anything about this meeting until now, I wonder ow it was advertised?
Frustrated in A2
Wed, Aug 1, 2012 : 3:09 a.m.
I too didn't hear of this until today. Unfortunately I read it 5 hours to late!
Eugene Daneshvar
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 3:57 p.m.
As nice as this design is, it would be helpful if there was an old-school news reporter do some work. Here are my questions: Who are expected to be parking in these Blue lots? Hospital Staff? Where are they parking now? Do they prefer paying for blue/orange/yellow passes? How far are they coming from? Do they prefer to drive through the cities or highway? How are they expected to travel from here to where they want to go and how long will it take? Will they be fishing for blue spots at the closer locations to the hospital, get disappointed and drive over to this lot, to wait for a bus to take them back? Was there a feasible alternate location that didn't require another bus ride or closer to the highway they came in on? I know that a study like this has been done before, however, the conclusions were ignored.
5c0++ H4d13y
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 8:47 p.m.
How is any reporter supposed to compile all that data?
LXIX
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 3:10 p.m.
News, circa 2020. Upon having successfully made, and then ruined, the easy-going two-story tree-town of entreprenuers, artists, and intellectuals, the bankrupt University of Michigan and its parking structure on Wall Street were condemmed and closed by the Federally-appointed County manager as an unhealthy attraction for north-wandering vagrants. Get a clue U - overpopulation is the reversable problem for most every global ailment - climate, change, food shortage, disease, resource depletion, and traffic jam. Ruining Ann Arbor's laid-back beauty with your cement highrise jungle proves U and the DDA only expect things to continue getting worse. Try some leadership by downsizing for a more positive world change.
BernieP
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 11:44 p.m.
@gladys - you may not be aware that the city of Detroit is home to two major Universities, and has a Univ of Michigan satellite campus within 2 miles of its western border.
gladys
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 6:07 p.m.
If it wasn't for UM, Ann Arbor would be another version of Detroit. Big universities and medical centers require lots of staff. Staff need a safe place to park-ergo, big parking structures. During my many years working at UM, I was always grateful for a nearby parking structure. And for the record, the parking permits aren't free.
LXIX
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 5:05 p.m.
My UP over your Beiging any day. Suppose planet Earth returns to a sustainable population at 1/2 billion starting today. Suppose families are largely self-sufficient and own advanced knowledge/technology. Suppose everyone was rich and robots did the labour. Would U really think building a new parking structure was such a great idea?
jcj
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 2:35 p.m.
Not saying they don't have the right to build it. Or that the residents will be reasonable. But I would prefer the U just go ahead with THEIR plan and forget the disingenuous 'meeting"!
jcj
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 2:33 p.m.
Business as usual! Put the plans in motion THEN ask for "input". We all know where that input will end up.
5c0++ H4d13y
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 12:52 p.m.
Maybe they can put a Chick Fil A in the ground level?
Sparty
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 7 p.m.
But who would eat there, certainly not the 65% of people who support same-sex marriage according to the latest same-sex polls.
jpud
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 12:29 p.m.
Too bad the Univesity did not have a dialogue with the community before approving the garish abomination of an electronic marquee with speakers that the athletic department is thrusting upon the horizon of our fine city. One can only hope the city will pass an ordinance banning electronic marquees of the type planned to discreate the hallowed grounds of Michigan Stadium before it is too late. Frankly, the taste police should issue the Regents a ticket for approving the marquee in the first place.
Ron Granger
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 8:53 p.m.
"I find it ironic that anyone would complain about an electronic sign sitting 100 feet away from the biggest stadium in the country with the two electronic scoreboards that rank 13th largest in the country." Prior to those recent obnoxious changes Michigan Stadium was a marvel because it was only two stories tall. It was completely integrated into the surrounding landscape and residential community. Ohio will just build something larger and what's his name will be in a size tizzy.
hail2thevict0r
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 2:46 p.m.
There is already an ordinance on the books. University of Michigan property is not subject to most local ordinances. Now that I've seen the renderings of the sign I wish they had done it with more style, however, I would like to say that I find it ironic that anyone would complain about an electronic sign sitting 100 feet away from the biggest stadium in the country with the two electronic scoreboards that rank 13th largest in the country.
Ron Granger
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 1:07 p.m.
"One can only hope the city will pass an ordinance banning electronic marquees of the type planned" They are already banned. The University has the advantage of not needing to comply with local laws. And yet the athletic department claims the money they earn is "all theirs" and not part of the taxpayer funded University. They are like a private corporation with the advantage of being able to ignore local laws and community standards.
David Cahill
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 12:28 p.m.
I like the design. It reminds me of the cute Fourth & Washington structure, known as the Sue Gott parking structure.
A2comments
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 11:08 a.m.
Nice to see that U of M is seeking dialogue when they don't have to. Hopefully residents understand it is going to happen and come with ideas to minimize the impact.
SEC Fan
Wed, Aug 1, 2012 : 11:33 a.m.
@Itchy. That may be true. I don't know. But it is interesting how many good ideas can come from actually having a discussion.
Angry Moderate
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 12:45 p.m.
Luckily, NIMBY homeowners aren't the dictators of the universe.
Itchy
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 12:23 p.m.
Thanks SEC Fan for the info. I did read the article from the first meeting and it seems that the only thing that will work for the local residents is if a garage is not built. There does not seem to be any means of hiding this type of structure to best blend with area homes, etc.
SEC Fan
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 11:51 a.m.
@Itchy. I believe: to "come with ideas to minimize the (negative) impact"
Itchy
Tue, Jul 31, 2012 : 11:46 a.m.
If it is going to happen as you so state, why meet with the local residents?