More new dorms

[rabidrabbit]

Re: More new dorms

Southeast LA built a 4 story parking garage as part of their football stadium redo. It's a great addition, and part of the perks available to stadium contributors. The rest of the time, its available for student use. A parking garage just south of Frost would likewise seem to be a good combo system.

[Nidaros]

Re: More new dorms

I hear doctors make pretty good coin.

Thats if they got all their loans paid off.

[MinnJack]

Re: More new dorms

To clarify on the Union lot debacle, it was never supposed to open for commuters this year but the gate/toll was delayed and didn't show up until January and then was only installed for a few months before it was ripped out again. And yes, it was a complete failure as was pointed out above. The point about students whining about parking unless its right outside their front door is spot on. Parking at SDSU might not be convenient but it's there.

The common response from the administration on the parking garage topic is that it is not cost effective. Looking at it objectively, that's probably true, especially when you take in all of the costs that come with upkeep. Plus, you can likely avoid more accidents with one big paved lot (if we're talking about resident on-campus parking) instead of a tightly-wound parking ramp.

Personally, I think SDSU could do a parking ramp pretty well. Montana, Minnesota and Nebraska have them too, so it's not like it's impossible. Even those guys at UND have a parking ramp. The plan is to build over the Intramural Fields with parking or dorms in the future and that would be convenient parking for football/Frost Arena games. Why not? If you're willing to take a chance on a toll gate that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, why not try a parking garage?

[91jack]

Re: More new dorms

I don't know when you graduated but a lot has changed and the parking situation is still changing every year.
I think the first move was to change several of the commuter lots to reserved. That change moved the price for parking in about 500 parking slots from $120 to $240. After that, they planted grass in the lot right next to Ag Hall and the Barn(on the south side). They don't have money but they are tearing up perfectly good lots to plant grass. Also, there is no parking on Medary anymore.

This year, they are going to close the rest of the lot by AG Hall and close all the lots around the Printing/Journalism(Yeager Hall) building.
Next year, they are supposedly going to close the lot on the west side of the Union. I don't know when they will close the lots by the Admin building but they are supposed to close, too.
They actually had an independent contractor come and do a study. He said that even with the central lots closed, you can walk anywhere on campus in 5 minutes. He supposedly had somebody(his wife) walk it "backwards in high heels". I don't know how accurate that is because she probably works out and doesn't have any health problems. She also walked it in the middle of summer. How about having her try that during a blizzard with all the snow, ice and sleet. The other thing is only 1 person can park in the spot that is closest to each building. After that lot is full, they will have to move to a lot further away.

I think all of the parking changes are to make campus more beautiful and help less people get hit by cars. I don't really understand the part about getting hit. I think at least 2 people got hit this year. One of them was on Medary. I THINK the other one was on the south side of campus, off campus. You are just making people walk further and they still have to cross streets. I also know that the further you walk, the better the chance is you slip on the ice and break an arm or something. I don't think the University can be held liable for that so it's probably not their 1st worry. There is a chance that they might have less people get hit each year but there's a much better chance that people will be slipping and breaking stuff walking further on crappy sidewalks/streets.

I guess at least all the students in the dorms won't have to cross any streets so that will help them. I'd really like to know how many people get hit each year and where they were when they were hit. They probably know more about that than I do but I think both people that got hit this year, the changes wont effect the streets they were hit on.

[Jacks-02]

Re: More new dorms

To clarify on the Union lot debacle, it was never supposed to open for commuters this year but the gate/toll was delayed and didn't show up until January and then was only installed for a few months before it was ripped out again. And yes, it was a complete failure as was pointed out above. The point about students whining about parking unless its right outside their front door is spot on. Parking at SDSU might not be convenient but it's there.

The common response from the administration on the parking garage topic is that it is not cost effective. Looking at it objectively, that's probably true, especially when you take in all of the costs that come with upkeep. Plus, you can likely avoid more accidents with one big paved lot (if we're talking about resident on-campus parking) instead of a tightly-wound parking ramp.

Personally, I think SDSU could do a parking ramp pretty well. Montana, Minnesota and Nebraska have them too, so it's not like it's impossible. Even those guys at UND have a parking ramp. The plan is to build over the Intramural Fields with parking or dorms in the future and that would be convenient parking for football/Frost Arena games. Why not? If you're willing to take a chance on a toll gate that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, why not try a parking garage?

A general rule of thumb for parking garages is $10,000 in costs per parking spot to develop. They definitely aren't cheap to build or maintain.

[Nidaros]

Re: More new dorms

Its been years back, but seems like I seen one drawing that would close off Medary at 8th street and several blocks north to auto traffic. I suspect this is the eventual plan. It does make sense as students are often in crosswalks and some old retired guy like me is usually in no hurry, but you have to use caution now when you drive Medary north heading to the 81 by pass. I think these plans are for the good as the student population continues to grow. You have to make changes. A parking ramp seems to make sense in my opinion, although having it near Frost and CAS seems to make the most sense, and would get the most use. Maybe during summer classes, all those students with auto might be force to park in the ramp. That might help in the maintainence costs. I dont know, just talking off the top of my head. Jack-02 might have some insight on costs here.

Too think coming from the south on Medary, you could once turn right in front of the Dairy Mico building and go in between Ag Hall and drive east past the old Dairy Barn, old Erv Heuther field and Ag Engneering, married housing known as the barracks and you were out in the middle of agronomy test plots. That was 50 years ago, and times have changed greatly. An updated plan is badly needed.

[LakeJack]

Re: More new dorms

I know Asst. Vp of Student Affairs Wermedahl was hit by a car in the core of campus and missed time at work while recovering. On any given day their are 10,000 plus people on campus and trying to keep cars from running them over sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

[LakeJack]

Re: More new dorms

A general rule of thumb for parking garages is $10,000 in costs per parking spot to develop. They definitely aren't cheap to build or maintain.

The numbers I have heard are $14,000 per spot to build a parking garage and $2,000 per spot for a flat lot. How much do you think a tag for the garage would cost. If it is $125 for a commuter lot that cost $2,000 dollars then I guess it would be $875 for a tag for the garage. I guess I would probably go with the $125 and walk a little, but maybe I am just cheep.

[LakeJack]

Re: More new dorms

They actually had an independent contractor come and do a study.

http://www.sdstate.edu/president/fac...y-11-21-10.pdf

[91jack]

Re: More new dorms

The numbers I have heard are $14,000 per spot to build a parking garage and $2,000 per spot for a flat lot. How much do you think a tag for the garage would cost. If it is $125 for a commuter lot that cost $2,000 dollars then I guess it would be $875 for a tag for the garage. I guess I would probably go with the $125 and walk a little, but maybe I am just cheep.

SDSU has a lot of "new" parking lots that are going up right now. Since they are tearing out some old lots and they are building 7 new dorms, they need more parking spots. If they weren't building so many lots at one time, they could take money from the existing lots to pay for the "new" lots. I know it costs something to maintain those lots but they make $2,400 in 20 years on the lots once they are made. That is $400/spot over the cost to make the lot. It can't cost that much to move snow, paint lines and resurface it every 20 years or so, can it?
How often do they have to resurface the lots? How much does that cost? I don't know the answers so I could be way off but it was just something that came to mind.
I'm cheep, too. If you're going to have to walk a 1/2 mile anyway why not walk 3/4 of a mile to save $200(or $750 in your case), it's well worth it. As long as I can still walk good.

[LakeJack]

Re: More new dorms

SDSU has a lot of "new" parking lots that are going up right now. Since they are tearing out some old lots and they are building 7 new dorms, they need more parking spots. If they weren't building so many lots at one time, they could take money from the existing lots to pay for the "new" lots. I know it costs something to maintain those lots but they make $2,400 in 20 years on the lots once they are made. That is $400/spot over the cost to make the lot. It can't cost that much to move snow, paint lines and resurface it every 20 years or so, can it?
How often do they have to resurface the lots? How much does that cost? I don't know the answers so I could be way off but it was just something that came to mind.
I'm cheep, too. If you're going to have to walk a 1/2 mile anyway why not walk 3/4 of a mile to save $200(or $750 in your case), it's well worth it. As long as I can still walk good.

I don't know, but I would think it would cost way more then $400 per spot to repaint, remove snow, maintain/repair a lot over that 20 year period. I also understand that they are only building 4 new dorms. As far as old lots paying for new lots, I am not sure that works as the old lots cost something to build, maintain and repair, I'll bet they aren't big money makers but again I don't know for sure.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: More new dorms

SDSU has a lot of "new" parking lots that are going up right now. Since they are tearing out some old lots and they are building 7 new dorms, they need more parking spots. If they weren't building so many lots at one time, they could take money from the existing lots to pay for the "new" lots. I know it costs something to maintain those lots but they make $2,400 in 20 years on the lots once they are made. That is $400/spot over the cost to make the lot. It can't cost that much to move snow, paint lines and resurface it every 20 years or so, can it?
How often do they have to resurface the lots? How much does that cost? I don't know the answers so I could be way off but it was just something that came to mind.
I'm cheep, too. If you're going to have to walk a 1/2 mile anyway why not walk 3/4 of a mile to save $200(or $750 in your case), it's well worth it. As long as I can still walk good.

I would be willing to bet they don't make money on parking passes.

Maintaining a lot is expensive. Think of it this way. To clear snow which happens several times a year, it takes a guy, the equipment, and fuel. It's probably $50/hr. Takes an hour to clear a lot 10 times per year. That's $500/yr in snow removal alone or $10,000 over the 20 yr life of the lot.

Re-stripping the lot is probably done every five years. This likely involves hiring a contractor, I doubt the maintenance guys have the necessary equipment to do the work. Estimate $5000 for stripping. That's $20,000.

It will also probably need a new surface around year 10. A complete new surface has got to be $15,000-$20,000.

Over the 20 yr life these maintenance costs alone are 45-50k. If its a 100 car lot, SDSU makes 40k. This doesn't factor in the administrative fees to administer the parking passes, construction contracts, etc. Best case, they are breaking even. Likely case is parking is supported partly through student fees.

[goon]

Re: More new dorms

clear a lot 10 times per year.

I think your being a little generous about how often they plow the lots. most campus lots were at best clearned 2 or 3 times a year. usually winter break or when students are off campus more, which unless their is snow piled up they wouldnt need to plow. Its horrible how Brookings and SDSU clear snow.

[91jack]

Re: More new dorms

I would be willing to bet they don't make money on parking passes.

Maintaining a lot is expensive. Think of it this way. To clear snow which happens several times a year, it takes a guy, the equipment, and fuel. It's probably $50/hr. Takes an hour to clear a lot 10 times per year. That's $500/yr in snow removal alone or $10,000 over the 20 yr life of the lot.

Re-stripping the lot is probably done every five years. This likely involves hiring a contractor, I doubt the maintenance guys have the necessary equipment to do the work. Estimate $5000 for stripping. That's $20,000.

It will also probably need a new surface around year 10. A complete new surface has got to be $15,000-$20,000.

Over the 20 yr life these maintenance costs alone are 45-50k. If its a 100 car lot, SDSU makes 40k. This doesn't factor in the administrative fees to administer the parking passes, construction contracts, etc. Best case, they are breaking even. Likely case is parking is supported partly through student fees.

I guess I don't know it has to be resurfaced every 10 years.

You shouldn't have to re-strip the lot the 1st year because it is new and the 10th year because it is getting resurfaced. That would knock that cost down from $20,000 to $10,000.

I don't understand how SDSU only makes 40k on a 100 car lot over 20 years. It costs $120/spot each year. That would mean that the 1st year alone they could make $12,000(if the lot is sold out). That would mean they could make $240,000 over the 20 year life of the lot.
I don't know if they will switch several lots to reserved but they are $240/ year.

I hope you don't think I'm being a jerk and I'm sure I'm just overlooking something. I'm sure I'll figure it out if I think about it a little more.

They only building 4 new dorms now but they just built 3 a couple years ago. I guess I was counting all of them.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: More new dorms

I guess I don't know it has to be resurfaced every 10 years.

You shouldn't have to re-strip the lot the 1st year because it is new and the 10th year because it is getting resurfaced. That would knock that cost down from $20,000 to $10,000.

I don't understand how SDSU only makes 40k on a 100 car lot over 20 years. It costs $120/spot each year. That would mean that the 1st year alone they could make $12,000(if the lot is sold out). That would mean they could make $240,000 over the 20 year life of the lot.
I don't know if they will switch several lots to reserved but they are $240/ year.

I hope you don't think I'm being a jerk and I'm sure I'm just overlooking something. I'm sure I'll figure it out if I think about it a little more.

They only building 4 new dorms now but they just built 3 a couple years ago. I guess I was counting all of them.

In the post I quoted previously you said they make $400/yr over what it costs them to build the lot. In my numbers notice I didn't include anything related to building the lot in the first place. That's a significant initial investment. Asphalt, base course, curb and gutter, stripping, etc. for a new lot adds up in a hurry. Just guessing but a new lot is probably $10-$15 per square foot (asphalt alone is roughly $2/sq ft.).

As far as my stripping number I overlooked the fact that in year 1 it wouldn't need to be re-done, but in year 10 it would be. Resurfacing the lot will cover any previous stripping. So reduce the stripping cost to 15 k.

I still stand by my bet that SDSU doesn't make money on parking lots.