Houstonian: Parking garage in the works

From the Houstonian:

Funding has been approved for the construction of a multi-level parking garage between the Lowman Student Center and Sorority Hill.

The completion of the garage should help alleviate continuing parking concerns by adding over 400 spaces on the SHSU campus.

Construction is scheduled to begin in February and the current parking area should remain open until then. The project is expected to cost between $4 million and $4.5 million dollars said Doug Greening, director of the Physical Plant.

"There will be three or four levels with a possible one-half level below grade," Greening said. "The recent rains will be a factor, but we had hoped to get started on it by December."

Earlier this year, the university received proposals from nine different teams of architects and contractors for a design-build project to complete the garage. Bonds were sold to fund the project.

Greening said the planning for this has been different than for other construction on campus. Previously, an architectural firm would design the project, then proposals would be taken from contractors for the construction.

"This time, we advertised for a team to design and build it, consisting of a contractor and an engineering firm," Greening said.

The architectural firm of Graeber, Simmons and Cowan, with contractor CP Snider, both from Austin, submitted the winning team proposal.

Greening said construction should be complete by July or August, barring any other delays.