TOO MUCH Parking? By: Chandler Kowaliczko PR Manager
Since I have been at USF, parking lots have been opening, closing and added onto at a constant rate. With the opening of the Taylor St. parking lot across from Motherhouse fresh on my mind, I began to reflect on how the university has changed since my freshman year. In 2015, there was no science hall, no Wilcox St. parking lot and a lot more houses surrounding the school. All of these additions beg the question, “Is USF’s campus turning into nothing but asphalt parking lots and brick buildings?”
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December 5, 2018
However, because USF is located in the Cathedral Area of Joliet, respecting historic homes located right next to the university has been a priority throughout the years. These houses not only add to the aesthetic of the surrounding community, but also make the vicinity around the campus feel safer. By leveling mistreated or abandoned houses that hold no historical significance, students are able to park in lots where these houses once were and respect our surrounding neighbors. From personal experience, the newest addition to campus parking has
guaranteed me a parking spot at any given time of the day. Along with parking lot additions, a call for more green space on campus has been requested by students and faculty for years. This request was obliged in the form of a “green roof ” in the LaVerne and Dorothy Brown Science Hall. This roof was included in the design of the building so that professors can utilize it to teach botany, ecology and sustainability. As the university expands, the demand for more parking spaces grows and limitations on parking structures on campus aren’t always feasible. So far, the university has respected the area and integrated parking into appropriate areas, even if it means cutting down a tree or two in the process. As long as this mindset is a priority for future development projects, the campus will continue to expand and maintain its classic architecture and green space.