University of Michigan to discuss Wall Street parking garage with neighbors
A rendering of the Wall Street parking structure.
University of Michigan rendering
University of Michigan will begin construction on a 725-space, six-story parking structure along Wall Street next month and the school is holding a meeting on Wednesday to discuss details of the construction project with nearby residents.
The university already has met with neighbors twice, seeking input on the design for the structure, which many neighbors didn't want but could not stop.
The structure will add 500 spaces to the university's parking portfolio and cost $34 million to build. 'Blue' U-M permit holders should be able to park in the structure by the winter of 2014.
An architect for the project has called the structure a "neighborhood gateway" for Lower Town, but residents have expressed concern about increased traffic due to the new garage and about the possible disruptiveness of construction.
The structure was first proposed in 2008, then dropped in favor of the Fuller Road Project. When the Fuller Road project was halted in the winter of 2012, U-M revisited building a parking structure on Wall Street. The school's Board of Regents approved the schematic design for the parking structure at a July 2012 meeting.
During the 90-minute meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., May 22, the school will share construction logistics with impacted neighbors.
The meeting will be held on the seventh floor of the Brehm Center, located at 1000 Wall St., in room 7045.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
JRW
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 6:02 p.m.
Those folks in those condos and apartments nearby are going to get an earful during the construction. Not to mention their new "view" of the side of a parking structure. There will be increased traffic, congestion and pollution from exhaust. Good luck to all who live on that street and adjacent streets!
Stewart G. Griffin
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 5:25 p.m.
Excuse me, but what the deuce? Let's be realistic..... things are missing from the rendering, such as the graffiti and tags spray painted on the structure, nor do I see any homeless people defecating and urinating in and around the structure or the annual person who decides to take a leap off the upper deck.
Bertha Venation
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 4:35 p.m.
A 725 space structure will add 500 spaces? What happened to the other 225 spaces? Perhaps the U should provide parking for the neighbors as a gesture of good faith.
RUKiddingMe
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 11:06 p.m.
I think it's not a net of 725 bwecause some of the structure is being built on what is already a parking lot.
RUKiddingMe
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 4:31 p.m.
I'm guessing at least 3 properties came off the tax rolls for this? There were a couple houses/apartment units that are gone now. Maybe the U owned them already, but if so, they were not kept up well at all. So no gigantic loss, I suppose, but still; forever and anon no revenue for the city.
RUKiddingMe
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 11:06 p.m.
Thanks Kelly. I'm assuming 3 of those 15 properties (and I mean, for crying out loud, that is just ONE STREET!?? With that kind of property absorption, I can't believe people complain about a few highrises; at least they generate revenue for the city!) were bought by U of M (if they didn't already own those little houses and apartments) within the last 2 years.
Kellie Woodhouse
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 5:11 p.m.
U-M has acquired 15 properties along Wall Street since 1988, and five along the nearby Maiden Lane and Broadway streets. Houses purchased have been razed and parking lots have been surfaced. The school also built an addition to the Kellogg Eye Center using acquired land. I wrote about this in Feb in a series about the U-M property tax debate. http://www.annarbor.com/news/wall-street-residents-cling-to-neighborhood-amid-university-of-michigan-development/ http://www.annarbor.com/news/university-of-michigan-land-acquisition-means-less-money-for-the-city-of-ann-arbor/
Kellie Woodhouse
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 3:34 p.m.
I know some residents already have a list of questions about the construction timetable and process. What questions would you ask U-M about the garage construction?
JRW
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 6:05 p.m.
Why doesn't the rendering of the new structure show the adjacent apartments and condos, many of which will now have their view blocked by this huge garage. It's disingenuous not to show the adjacent buildings and how they will be impacted when this parking structure is completed.
DJBudSonic
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 5:50 p.m.
I would ask why they are holding a meeting of such importance to this neighborhood the same day and time as the public meeting on the Lowertown and north main and Huron river corridore task force meeting?
NSider
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 3:52 p.m.
The most important one... TRAFFIC. Which major intersection do they plan on blocking... Maiden Lane at Plymouth Road or Maiden Lane at Fuller? Do they plan on blocking off half the overpass (over the train tracks) so their construction crews won't be bothered on Wall Street? (Golly, could they maybe have their construction crews park far off site and bus them to work?) And of course, the inevitable - "You'll be done by a.) Art Fair, b.) move-in, c.) first football Saturday, d.) winter, or e.) some time in 2years?
Brad
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 1:40 p.m.
I can feel a Jim Kosteva "greater good" speech coming.
Linda Peck
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 12:40 p.m.
So true, and I agree with Nerak, such a poor use of river frontage. I love this river and we are so lucky to have a river in our town, and a gorgeous windy one, full of interest and ponds and little lakes. Ann Arbor has a tradition of trying to hide it or pile junk around it.
Eep
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 4:28 p.m.
Where do you think they're building this thing? There are streets and other buildings between this site and the river.
My2bits
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 12:39 p.m.
Fuller Road would have been the right place for this. Too much opposition from people making a fuss over the long time paved parking lot that would have had to be demolished to make way for the structure, because it is part of Fuller Park across the street.
lefty48197
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 12:25 p.m.
Hopefully the U will tear down some historic buildings or iconic local businesses to build this. That's what they do at the "U".
Nerak
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 11:45 a.m.
A very poor use of river frontage. It would have been better if UM bought the parking garage site that the city zoned a few years back as part of the Lower Town PUD across the road.
fjord
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 3:03 p.m.
It's not "river frontage." Is it near the river? Yes. On the river? No.
NSider
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 11:37 a.m.
MgoBLUE! Yay... UoM finally filling in their path all the way out to Plymouth Road. Now all they have to do is public domain everything from Wall Street to Huron Parkway and they can build build build on tax-exempt lands! Watch out residents of Broadway hill, here come the demo crews! There must be a disease that doesn't have its own hospital yet... I can't wait to watch the political wars as they try to decide who gets to build what higher up the hill. And oh, by the way, residents of Ann Arbor, open your wallets wide, more services are going to be demanded on a smaller tax revenue.
Arboriginal
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 11:23 a.m.
Oh those renderings!
TinyArtist
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 11:17 a.m.
Definition of IMPACTED 1 a : blocked by material (as feces) that is firmly packed or wedged in position b : wedged or lodged in a bodily passage 2 : characterized by broken ends of bone driven together 3 of a tooth : wedged between the jawbone and another tooth Perhaps a better adjective could be found for those neighbors affected.
GoNavy
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 11:10 a.m.
Hmm; aren't the only residents in that neighborhood med school students and staff?
Marcia Feingold
Tue, May 21, 2013 : 4:17 p.m.
Of the half-dozen friends I have in the building none fall into that category. It's a very attractive location for retirees. Where did you get your mis-information from?